Ministry issues clarification on pregnant women

The Union Ayush ministry on Wednesday clarified that its advice to pregnant mothers to refrain from eating non-vegetarian is rooted in the understanding that yoga and naturopathy don’t advocate the consumption of meat.

The clarification comes in the wake of a controversy triggered by advice printed in a booklet,  published by the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy.

Titled ‘Mother and Child Care’, the booklet advised expectant mothers not to eat non-vegetarian food like meat, fish and eggs; hang beautiful photographs in the bedroom and detach from desire and lust in order to have a healthy baby.

Allopathic doctors countered these claims.

A day later, the Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy Ministry asserted it was wrong to single out meat as pregnant women were advised to avoid several other food items like tea, coffee, white flour products, and fried and oily items.

The booklet, according to the ministry, has been in circulation since 2013 and was not released by Ayush minister Shripad Yasso Naik last week.