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@article{190564,
        author = {Dr. Sreeja V and Dr. Umi Ul Urma urf Sadaf},
        title = {SUTIKA PARICHARYA: AN AYURVEDIC NARRATIVE REVIEW OF POSTPARTUM CARE PRINCIPLES AND THEIR CORRELATION WITH MODERN POSTPARTUM PHYSIOLOGY AND RECOVERY SCIENCE},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {8},
        pages = {3850-3860},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=190564},
        abstract = {Background: The postpartum period, clinically termed the puerperium and traditionally known in Ayurveda as Sutika Kala, represents a profound physiological transition. Often described as the "fourth trimester," this phase involves the reversal of gestational adaptations, establishment of lactation, and significant neuro-hormonal reorganization. While modern obstetrics has successfully reduced acute maternal mortality, the management of long-term postpartum morbidity ranging from pelvic floor dysfunction and metabolic dysregulation to postpartum depression remains a challenge. Ayurveda, the traditional medical system of India, proffers Sutika Paricharya, a meticulous 45-day to 6-month regimen designed to restore maternal homeostasis through specific dietary (Ahara), lifestyle (Vihara), and therapeutic (Aushadha) interventions.
Objective: This narrative review aims to critically analyse the classical Ayurvedic principles of Sutika Paricharya, explicating their physiological rationale through the lens of modern perinatal science. The review seeks to bridge the epistemological gap between ancient wisdom and contemporary evidence regarding uterine involution, gut-brain axis modulation, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, and metabolic resetting.
Methods: A comprehensive synthesis of classical Ayurvedic treatises principally the Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, Ashtanga Hridaya, and Kashyapa Samhita was conducted. These concepts were juxtaposed with contemporary peer-reviewed literature from obstetrics, endocrinology, gastroenterology, and physiotherapy to identify mechanistic correlations.
Key Findings: The Ayurvedic characterization of the postpartum body as Shunya Sharira (empty body) dominated by Vata Dosha correlates with modern observations of rapid hemodynamic shifts, intra-abdominal decompression, and connective tissue laxity. The specific dietary protocol (Samsarjana Krama), utilizing medicated gruels (Yavagu) with bio-enhancing spices (Panchakola), parallels the need for easily digestible, prebiotic-rich nutrition to restore the postpartum microbiome and enzymatic function. External therapies like Abhyanga (oil massage) and Udaraveshtana (abdominal binding) are validated by evidence demonstrating cortisol reduction, oxytocin enhancement, and improved management of Diastasis Recti Abdominis (DRA).
Conclusion: Sutika Paricharya offers a biologically plausible, integrated framework for postpartum recovery that addresses the root causes of inflammation, tissue depletion, and fatigue. Integrating these time-tested modalities into modern postnatal care pathways could significantly ameliorate maternal health outcomes, shifting the paradigm from mere survival to optimal restoration.},
        keywords = {Sutika Paricharya; Postpartum Care, Maternal Health, Uterine Involution; Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation},
        month = {January},
        }