$I:\IJDR\LOGO_ISSN_L035XH025MM_India.png$

ISSN No. : 2584-2757

Volume

: 04

Issue

: 01

V

R

A

G

Publisher

ROGANIDAN VIKRUTIVIGYAN PG ASSOCIATION

FOR PATHOLOGY AND RADIODIGNOSIS

P

Year of Establishment

–

2016

Reg. No. : MAHA-703/16(NAG)

ISI Impact Factor (2025-26): 1.345

IIFS Impact Factor (2026-27): 6.0

:10.5281/zenodo.23434843

DOI

INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL

OF

DIAGNOSTICS

AND

RESEARCH

Food Cravings in the Antenatal Period and the Ayurvedic Concept of Dauhrida: A Critical

Review of Classical Literature and Contemporary Evidence

Prof. Dr.

Subhash Waghe

1

, Dr.Nilesh Dalvi

2

1

Dept. of Rog Nidan, SAM College of Ayurvedic Sciences, Raisen (MP)

–

464 551

2

Department of Prasuti Tantra evum Stree Roga, Vaidya Yagyadatta Sharma Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Khurja,

Uttar Pradesh

–

203131, India

Abstract

Background:

Food cravings are among the most frequently reported experiences of pregnancy, yet their cause and

clinical meaning remain uncertain. Classical

Ayurveda

addresses this phenomenon through the concept of

Dauhrida

(the "two-hearted" state), which attributes the pregnant woman's desires to the foetus's emerging consciousness and

prescribes their judicious fulfillment.

Objectives:

To critically examine the concept of

Dauhrida

as described in the

Ayurvedic

classics and to compare it with contemporary scientific evidence on the prevalence, timing, determinants

and consequences of food cravings in pregnancy.

Methods:

We conducted a critical narrative review. We studied

relevant

chapters

of

Charaka

Samhita,

Sushruta

Samhita,

and

Ashtanga

Hridaya

,

along

with

their

principal

commentaries, for descriptions of

Dauhrida

. We identified contemporary literature through PubMed, Google Scholar,

and publisher databases using combinations of the terms "food craving", "pregnancy", "aversion", "pica", "

Dauhrida

",

and

"

Garbhini

Paricharya

".

Findings

were

organised

thematically

and

compared.

Results:

The

classics

place

the

onset of

Dauhrida

in the fourth month of gestation, when the foetal heart and sense faculties become manifest. They

direct that the woman's wishes be granted, with harmful items modified by wholesome ones, and they link unmet

desires to vitiation of

Vata

and to foetal loss or malformation. Modern studies report cravings in roughly 50

–

90% of

pregnant women, with onset around the end of the first trimester and a peak in the second. Explanations under study

include

hormonal,

nutritional,

pharmacological,

cultural

and

neurobiological

mechanisms;

the

latter

include

pregnancy-related

changes

in

mesolimbic

dopamine

circuits.

Evidence

also

links

unmet

cravings

with

maternal

undernutrition and maternal diet with offspring taste preferences.

Conclusion:

The timing and management principles

of

Dauhrida

align well with current observations, while its foetal-origin explanation and predictions about offspring

character await scientific testing. Region-specific prospective studies are recommended.

Keywords:

Dauhrida

;

Dauhridini

; food cravings; pregnancy;

Garbhini Paricharya

; antenatal care;

Ayurveda

Article Info:

Article Received on : 04/09/2026

Article Reviewed on: 10/09/2026

Article Published on : 15/10/2026

Corresponding Author:

Prof. Dr. Subhash Waghe

ORCID ID:

0009

-

0006

-

2776

-

5549

Cite this article as: -

Waghe S, Dalvi N. Food Cravings in the Antenatal Period and the Ayurvedic Concept of Dauhrida: A Critical

Review

of

Classical

Literature

and

Contemporary

Evidence.

International

Journal

of

Diagnostics

And

Research.

2026Oct17;4(1):57

–

67. doi:10.5281/zenodo.23434843

Issue : 01

INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL

OF

DIAGNOSTICS

AND

RESEARCH

Volume : 04

Copyright @ : - Dr.Subhash Waghe Inter. J.Digno. and Research IJDRMSID0145

|

ISSN :2584-2757

57

Introduction :

A food craving is an intense, specific desire for a

particular

food

or

taste

that

is

difficult

to

resist.

Pregnancy

is

one

of

the

two

life

phases

in

which

such

cravings

are

reported

most

often,

the

other

being

the

premenstrual

period

[1].

Surveys

across

continents

show

that

most

pregnant

women

experience

cravings,

often

accompanied

by

aversions to other foods and, in some settings, by

pica

—

eating

non-food

substances

such

as

clay

or

ice

[1

–

3]

. Although cravings are often regarded as a

harmless

feature

of

pregnancy,

they

can

shape

dietary

intake,

contribute

to

excessive

gestational

weight

gain

and

interact

with

conditions

such

as

gestational diabetes

[1,4].

Ayurveda

recognised

this

phenomenon

more

than

two

millennia

ago

as

Dauhrida

or

Dvaihridya

.

In

this state, the pregnant woman is called

Dauhridini

,

literally "one who bears two hearts": her own heart

and

that

of

the

developing

foetus

[5,6]

.

Classical

authors held that the mother's desires in this phase

are,

at

least

in

part,

the

foetus's

desires

conveyed

through a shared maternal

–

foetal connection. They

also

offered

practical

advice

on

managing

these

desires as part of

Garbhini Paricharya

, the regimen

of antenatal care [5

–

8].

Despite its clinical

relevance,

Dauhrida

is

seldom

compared systematically with the modern literature

on

pregnancy

cravings.

Such

a

comparison

can

clarify

which

classical

observations

match

current

data, which remain untested, and how the concept

may be used in integrative antenatal practice. The

present

review therefore aimed (i) to

compile and

interpret the classical descriptions of

Dauhrida

, (ii)

to summarise contemporary evidence on food

cravings

in

pregnancy,

and

(iii)

to

critically

correlate the two bodies of knowledge and identify

directions for future research.

Materials and Methods:

Study design

This is a critical narrative review based on literary

and

documentary

sources.

No

human

or

animal

participants

were

involved;

ethical

approval

was

therefore not required.

Classical sources

The

Brihat

Trayi

—

Charaka

Samhita

(with

the

Ayurveda Dipika

commentary of Chakrapanidatta),

Sushruta

Samhita

(with

the

Nibandhasangraha

commentary

of

Dalhana)

and

Ashtanga

Hridaya

(with

the

commentaries

of

Arunadatta

and

Hemadri)

—

were

examined,

with

emphasis

on

the

Sharira

Sthana

chapters

dealing

with

embryology

and

antenatal

care

[5

–

7].

We

used

a

standard

textbook

of

Ayurvedic

obstetrics

to

cross-check

interpretation

[9].

Verse

numbers

follow

the

cited

editions and may differ slightly in other editions.

Contemporary literature search

PubMed,

Google

Scholar

and

publisher

websites

were

searched

for

articles

in

English

using

the

terms

"food

craving",

"food

aversion",

"pica",

"pregnancy", "antenatal", "gestational weight gain",

"Dauhrida",

"Dauhrid" and "Garbhini Paricharya",

alone

and

in

combination.

We

screened

the

reference

lists

of

retrieved

reviews

for

additional

studies.

Eligibility

We

included

original

studies,

systematic

or

narrative reviews, and experimental studies that

Issue : 01

INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL

OF

DIAGNOSTICS

AND

RESEARCH

Volume : 04

Copyright @ : - Dr.Subhash Waghe Inter. J.Digno. and Research IJDRMSID0145

|

ISSN :2584-2757

58

reported the prevalence, timing, type, determinants,

proposed

mechanisms,

or

consequences

of

food

cravings

or

aversions

in

pregnancy.

We

preferred

studies

from

diverse

geographical

regions,

including India and other low- and middle-income

countries.

We

excluded

opinion

pieces

without

data,

non-English

articles,

and

sources

with

unverified

bibliographic

details.

Each

reference

cited

in

this

article

was

checked

against

its

publisher or indexing record.

Data extraction and analysis

From the classical texts, we extracted statements on

the

timing,

causation,

management,

and

consequences

of

Dauhrida

.

From

the

modern

literature,

we

extracted

data

on

setting,

design,

sample, prevalence, and key findings. The two sets

of

findings

were

then

grouped

under

common

themes

—

onset, origin, management, consequences

for mother and offspring

—

and compared critically.

Results :

Onset of Dauhrida and its embryological basis

Both

Charaka

and

Sushruta

place

the

onset

of

Dauhrida

in the fourth month of gestation.

Charaka

explains

that

once

the

foetus's

sense

faculties

are

established,

consciousness

becomes

linked

to

sensation;

from

then

on,

the

foetus

moves

and

"longs

for"

whatever

it

experienced

in

a

joined

through

nutrient-carrying

channels

(

rasavahini

and

samvahini

),

so

that

the

wishes

of

one are reflected in the other

[5].

The

same

passage

gives

the

practical

conclusion:

because mother and foetus share welfare in certain

respects

during

this

phase,

skilled

physicians

take

special care to treat the pregnant woman with what

is

both

pleasing

(

priya

)

and

wholesome

(

hita

);

disregarding

the

desires

of

the

"two-hearted"

woman

may

lead

to

foetal

loss

or

deformity

[5].

Sushruta

similarly

states

that

in

the

fourth

month

the

foetal

heart

becomes

distinct,

and

since

the

heart is the seat of consciousness, the foetus begins

to

express

wishes

towards

sense

objects;

the

woman

is

therefore

termed

Dvihridaya

and

Dauhridini

[6]

.

This

timing

can

be

compared

with

modern

embryology.

The

heart

is

the

embryo's

first

functional organ and begins to beat around the end

of

the

fourth

week

after

fertilisation,

while

the

sensory systems, including taste and smell, develop

progressively

through

the

first

and

second

trimesters

[10].

Thus, the fourth lunar month of the

classics

coincides

with

a

period

of

rapid

sensory

maturation in the foetus.

Management directives

Charaka

allows even an unwholesome item

when

craving is intense, provided it is combined with or

corrected by wholesome substances so the desire is

pacified without harm

[5].

Sushruta

instructs

the

physician

to

procure

whatever sense objects the pregnant woman wishes

for, out of concern that the foetus may otherwise be

harmed

[6]

. The instruction is not limited to food: it

covers

all

five

sense

objects,

including

sights,

sounds and textures.

Issue : 1

INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL

OF

DIAGNOSTICS

AND

RESEARCH [ISSN No.: 2584-2757]

Volume : 4

Copyright @ : - Dr.Subhash Waghe Inter. J.Digno. and Research IJDRMSID0145

|

ISSN :2584-2757

59

Consequences of unfulfilled Dauhrida

The classics describe two sets of outcomes. When

desires are fulfilled (

prapta-dauhrida

), the woman

gives birth to a child endowed with good qualities.

When

they

are

denied

(

alabdha-dauhrida

),

the

suppressed

urge

is

said

to

provoke

Vata

,

which,

moving

within

the

body,

may

cause

loss

of

the

pregnancy,

foetal

malformation,

or

danger

to

the

mother herself

[5,6].

Sushruta

adds an organ-specific

rule: the sense faculty related to the denied desire is

the

one

likely

to

be

affected

in

the

child.

For

example, a denied wish to hear a particular sound is

linked to hearing impairment

[6].

Sushruta

also lists

possible

deformities

from

disregard

of

Dauhrida

,

such

as

a

hunched

back,

crippled

or

lame

limbs,

dullness,

dwarfism

and

ocular

defects

[6].

Table

1

summarises the classical descriptions.

Object

of

Dauhrida

and

predicted

characteristics of the offspring

Sushruta

further correlates the object of desire with

the

physical

and

behavioural

traits

of

the

child

(Table

2).

The

passage

ends

with

a

general

principle:

whatever

the

woman

strongly

longs

for

during

pregnancy,

the

child

will

resemble

it

in

body, conduct and disposition

[6].

Table 1. Descriptions of

Dauhrida

in the

major Ayurvedic classics

Aspect	Charaka Samhita	Sushruta Samhita
Month of onset	Fourth month, when sense faculties are established	Fourth month, when the foetal heart becomes distinct
Proposed origin	Foetal consciousness; desires from a previous life; maternal and foetal hearts joined by nutrient channels	Foetal heart as seat of consciousness; woman termed Dvihridaya / Dauhridini
Management	Give what is pleasing and wholesome; if craving is in tense, give even an unwholesome item corrected by wholesome ones	Physician should procure whatever sense object is desired
Outcome if fulfilled	Welfare of mother and foetus	Virtuous, well- endowed child
Outcome if denied	Vata aggravation; foetal loss or deformity	Deformity, especially of the related sense organ; risk to foetus or mother

Sources: Charaka Samhita Sharira Sthana 4/15, 4/19; Sushruta

Samhita Sharira Sthana 3/18

–

21 [5,6]. Ashtanga Hridaya Sharira

Sthana 1 restates the same principles [7].

Table

2.

Object

of

Dauhrida

and

the

characteristics

of

the

child

described

by

Sushruta

Object of desire	Described characteristics of the child
Seeing the king	Wealthy and fortunate
Fine silk garments and ornaments	Graceful and fond of adornment
Living in a hermitage	Self - restrained and righteous
Idols of deities	Like an attendant of the gods ( parshada )
Seeing wild predatory animals	Violent in temperament
Flesh of the monitor lizard ( godha )	Given to sleep; steadfast
Flesh of cattle	Strong and able to bear all hardship
Flesh of the buffalo	Brave, red-eyed and hairy
Flesh of the boar	Brave but sleepy
Flesh of the deer	Energetic, swift-limbed and fond of roaming in forests
Flesh of the srimara deer	Restless or anxious in min d
Flesh of the partridge ( tittira )	Timid

Issue : 1

INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL

OF

DIAGNOSTICS

AND

RESEARCH [ISSN No.: 2584-2757]

Volume : 4

Copyright @ : - Dr.Subhash Waghe Inter. J.Digno. and Research IJDRMSID0145

|

ISSN :2584-2757

60

Source: Sushruta Samhita Sharira Sthana 3/22

–

28 [6]. The items

reflect the dietary and social context of the classical period and are

reported here for textual analysis only.

Contemporary evidence on food cravings in

pregnancy

Modern studies consistently report that cravings are

common.

An

estimated

50

–

90%

of

women

in

the

United

States

experience

cravings

in

pregnancy;

they

usually

emerge

by

the

end

of

the

first

trimester, peak in the second trimester and decline

thereafter

[1].

Frequently

craved

items

in

Western

samples

include

sweets,

dairy

foods,

starchy

carbohydrates,

fruits

and

fast

food

[1,11].

Studies

from

Africa,

Asia

and

the

Pacific

show

that

prevalence is also high elsewhere, but the specific

foods craved differ by culture and food availability

[12

–

14].

Table 3 summarises selected studies.

Table

3.

Selected

contemporary

studies

on

food

cravings

and

aversions

in

pregnancy

Study (setting)	Design and sample	Key findings
Bayley et al., 2002 (United Kingdom) [15]	Retrospective questionnaire; 99 women	Cravings 61%, aversions 54%, nausea 80%. Onset of aversions often coincided with nausea; no such link for cravings.
Belzer et al., 2010 (USA) [4]	Prospective; healthy and mildly diabetic pregnancies	55% of normoglycaemic women craved sweets at 24 – 28 weeks; in late pregnancy, some women with GDM reported about twice as many sweet cravings as controls.
Weigel et al., 2011 (Ecuador) [16]	Prospective cohort in early pregnancy	Women with nausea and vomiting showed more aversions to potentially risky foods and stronger cravings for fruit.
Orloff and Hormes, 2014 [1]	Narrative review	Cravings in 50 – 90% of US women; peak in second trimester; cultural and psychosocial explanations best supported.

Study (setting)	Design and sample	Key findings
McKerracher et al., 2016 (Fiji) [14]	Field study among Indigenous Fijian women	Cravings targeted foods supplying calories and micronutrients at low risk; aversions targeted foods that could worsen pregnancy challenges.
Placek et al., 2017 (Mysore, India ) [17]	102 pregnant women (farmers and Jenu Kuruba)	Innate aversions and culturally transmitted food taboos were largely distinct; papaya was the food most often avoided.
Fikrie et al., 2022 (Southern Ethiopia) [12]	Community - based cross - sectional; 530 women	Cravings 58.3%; meat (71.5%), fruits (41.7%) and dairy (22%) most craved; about half could obtain the craved food; cravings associated with undernutrition.
Prasmusinto et al., 2024 (Jakarta, Indonesia) [13]	Cross- sectional; 500 women	Cravings 63.8%; neuroticism strongly associated with cravings (OR ≈ 9.1).
Haddad - Tóvolli et al., 2022 (experimental) [18]	Pregnant mice	Craving - like behaviour mediated by mesolimbic dopami ne circuits; persistent cravings associated with metabolic and behavioural changes in adult offspring.

GDM, gestational diabetes mellitus; OR, odds ratio.

Proposed mechanisms :

The literature discusses five groups of explanations

(Table

4).

Hormonal

changes

—

including

those

of

oestrogen,

progesterone,

prolactin,

leptin

and

placental

hormones

—

alter

appetite

and

energy

balance

in

pregnancy

[19],

but

direct

correlations

between hormone levels and craving intensity have

not

been

clearly

shown

[1].

Nutritional-deficiency

explanations are supported for some forms of pica

but

not

convincingly

for

most

food

cravings

[1,3].

Adaptive or evolutionary models propose that

Issue : 1

INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL

OF

DIAGNOSTICS

AND

RESEARCH [ISSN No.: 2584-2757]

Volume : 4

Copyright @ : - Dr.Subhash Waghe Inter. J.Digno. and Research IJDRMSID0145

|

ISSN :2584-2757

61

aversions

protect

the

embryo

from

potentially

harmful foods, while cravings may draw the mother

towards

safe,

energy-rich

items

[14,16,20].

Cultural

and psychosocial factors

—

beliefs, food availability

and

emotional

state

—

have

the

strongest

empirical

support

[1,13].

More

recently,

animal

work

has

shown

that

pregnancy

reorganises

reward-related

dopamine

circuits

in

the

brain,

and

that

blocking

these circuits abolishes craving-like behaviour

[18].

Table

4.

Critical

correlation

of

the

classical

concept

of

Dauhrida

with

contemporary

knowledge

Theme	Ayurvedic view	Contemporary correlate	Degree of agreement
Timing	Onset in fourth month	Cravings emerge by end of first trimester and peak in second [1]	Broadly consistent
Origin	Foetal desire conveyed through shared heart ( dvi- hridaya )	Maternal hormonal, neural and psychosocial factors; placental signals alter maternal appetite [18,19]	Partial; foetal origin untested
Management	Fulfil desires; correct harmful items with wholesome ones	Individualised dietary counselling; hea lthy substitutions; screening for pica [1,3]	Consistent in principle
Unfulfilled desire	Vata aggravation; risk to foetus or mother	Unmet cravings linked to maternal undernutrition [12]; maternal stress relevant to outcomes	Suggestive

Theme	Ayurvedic view	Contemporary correlate	Degree of agreement
Offspring traits	Child resembles the object of desire	Prenatal flavour learning [21]; developmental origins of health and disease [22]; offspring effects in animals [18]	Plausible for taste and metabolism; unproven for character

Discussion :

This

review

shows

that

the

Ayurvedic

concept

of

Dauhrida

closely

corresponds

to

the

modern

phenomenon of pregnancy food cravings in timing

and

practical

management,

while

differing

in

its

explanation of cause. The main points of agreement

and disagreement are discussed below.

Timing

The classical onset in the fourth month agrees with

modern

observations

that

cravings

become

established

by

the

end

of

the

first

trimester

and

peak

in

the

second

[1,5,6].

The

classical

explanation

—

manifestation of the foetal heart and

sense

faculties

—

also

has

a

partial

parallel:

this

is

the period in which the foetus develops functioning

taste and smell and is exposed to flavours carried in

the amniotic fluid

[10,21].

The classical description is

therefore

observationally

accurate,

even

though

it

frames its explanation in metaphysical terms.

Maternal or foetal origin?

The

central

claim

of

Dauhrida

—

that

the

craving

belongs

to

the

foetus

—

has

no

direct

test

in

the

modern

literature.

Current

research

places

the

proximate

cause

mainly

in

the

mother:

altered

hormone levels and energy regulation

[19],

changes

in

taste

and

smell,

nausea

and

aversions

[15,16],

personality and emotional state

[13],

and

Issue : 1

INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL

OF

DIAGNOSTICS

AND

RESEARCH [ISSN No.: 2584-2757]

Volume : 4

Copyright @ : - Dr.Subhash Waghe Inter. J.Digno. and Research IJDRMSID0145

|

ISSN :2584-2757

62

reorganisation

of

brain

reward

circuits

[18].

However,

the

placenta,

which

is

a

foetal

organ,

secretes

hormones

that

act

on

the

maternal

brain

and metabolism

[19].

In this limited sense, the foetus

does influence maternal appetite, and the image of

"two hearts" joined by nourishing channels can be

read

as

a

pre-scientific

description

of

maternal

–

foetal

–

placental signalling. Treat this interpretation

as

a

hypothesis

rather

than

an

established

equivalence.

4.3 Consequences of unfulfilled cravings

The

classical

warning

that

denial

of

Dauhrida

harms

the

foetus

is

too

strong

to

be

supported

as

stated;

there

is

no

evidence

that

refusing

a

particular

food

causes

miscarriage

or

a

specific

malformation. Nevertheless, the underlying concern

has

modern

echoes.

In

Southern

Ethiopia,

only

about

half

of

women

who

craved

foods

could

obtain

them,

and

cravings

were

associated

with

maternal

undernutrition

[12].

The

classical

explanation

invokes

Vata

aggravation

from

suppression

of

an

urge,

which

is

compatible

with

the modern understanding that psychological stress

and unmet needs in pregnancy can affect maternal

well-being.

On

the

other

hand,

unrestrained

indulgence carries its own risks: frequent cravings

for

sweet

and

energy-dense

foods

are

associated

with greater gestational weight gain and with more

frequent

sweet

cravings

in

late

pregnancy

among

women with gestational diabetes

[1,4].

4.4 Maternal diet and offspring characteristics

Sushruta

's correlation between the object of desire

and the child's character (Table 2) cannot be

accepted

literally.

Yet

the

broader

idea

that

maternal

intake

during

pregnancy

shapes

the

offspring

is

now

well

established.

Infants

whose

mothers

consumed

carrot

juice

during

pregnancy

showed

greater

acceptance

of

carrot

flavour

after

weaning,

demonstrating

prenatal

flavour

learning

[21].

The

developmental

origins

of

health

and

disease

framework

shows

that

the

intrauterine

environment

programmes

long-term

metabolic

health

[22].

In

mice,

persistent

pregnancy

cravings

were followed by glucose intolerance, weight gain

and

anxiety-like

behaviour

in

the

adult

offspring

[18].

These findings lend plausibility to the classical

view

that

the

mother's

desires

and

intake

during

pregnancy

leave

a

lasting

mark

on

the

child,

although

the

specific

behavioural

predictions

remain unverified.

Clinical

implications

for

integrative

antenatal

care

The

most

useful

clinical

principle

of

Dauhrida

is

Charaka

's

instruction

to

satisfy

an

intense

desire

while correcting any harmful item with wholesome

ones

[5].

This

aligns

with

current

advice

to

acknowledge cravings rather than dismiss them and

to

guide

women

toward

healthier

substitutes.

In

practice, the following steps may be integrated into

Garbhini Paricharya

[8,9]

:

•

Ask routinely about cravings, aversions and

pica

at

antenatal

visits

from

the

late

first

trimester.
•

Allow

wholesome

cravings;

for

unwholesome

ones,

offer

modified

or

smaller portions combined with nourishing

Issue : 1

INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL

OF

DIAGNOSTICS

AND

RESEARCH [ISSN No.: 2584-2757]

Volume : 4

Copyright @ : - Dr.Subhash Waghe Inter. J.Digno. and Research IJDRMSID0145

|

ISSN :2584-2757

63

foods,

in

line

with

the

hitena

upahitam

principle.

•

Screen

for

pica

and

for

iron-deficiency

anaemia,

and

manage

them

according

to

standard guidelines

[3].
•

Monitor weight gain and glycaemic status in

women with frequent sweet or energy-dense

cravings

[4].
•

Respect the cultural and emotional meaning

of

desires,

as

the

classics

recommend

for

non-food wishes such as music, clothing or

visits to places of worship.

Regional variation and directions for research

Both the classics and modern studies indicate that

the objects of craving depend on region, culture and

food

availability

[6,14,17].

India,

with

its

wide

diversity of diets, customs and food taboos, offers a

valuable

setting

for

studying

Dauhrida

.

Prospective, multicentre cohort studies could record

the

onset,

frequency,

intensity,

and

objects

of

cravings

using

a

validated

instrument,

along

with

the woman's Prakriti, diet, haemoglobin, gestational

weight gain, and glycaemic status. Outcomes could

include pregnancy complications, birth weight and,

in

longer

follow-up,

the

child's

food

preferences

and growth. Retrospective interviews with mothers

could supplement such work. These designs would

allow testing of the specific classical claims about

timing,

the

effects

of

unmet

desires

and

the

relationship between maternal desires and offspring

traits.

Limitations

This is a narrative rather than a systematic review;

study

selection

may

therefore

be

incomplete,

and

no

formal

quality

appraisal

or

meta-analysis

was

performed.

Only

English-language

modern

literature

was

included.

Interpretation

of

Sanskrit

passages depends on the editions and commentaries

used.

Some

supporting

evidence,

particularly

for

offspring outcomes, comes from animal studies and

cannot be extrapolated directly to humans.

Conclusion :

Dauhrida

is

an

early

and

detailed

clinical

description

of

food

cravings

in

pregnancy.

Its

timing, its recognition of cultural variation and its

guidance to satisfy desires while correcting harmful

choices agree well with contemporary evidence. Its

explanation

of

craving

as

a

foetal

desire,

and

its

predictions of specific effects on the child, are best

regarded

as

hypotheses.

The

concept

offers

a

culturally

meaningful

framework

for

counselling

pregnant

women

and

a

clear

agenda

for

prospective,

region-specific

research

that

can

test

the classical claims with modern methods.

Declarations :

Conflict

of

interest:

The

authors

declare

no

conflict of interest regarding the publication of this

article. The authors have no financial, commercial,

institutional

or

personal

relationships

with

any

organisation

or

individual

that

could

inappropriately

influence,

or

be

perceived

to

influence, the content of this work.

Ethical

statement:

This

article

reviews

published classical and contemporary literature and

did

not

involve

human

participants

or

animals;

therefore, ethical approval was not required.

Issue : 1

INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL

OF

DIAGNOSTICS

AND

RESEARCH [ISSN No.: 2584-2757]

Volume : 4

Copyright @ : - Dr.Subhash Waghe Inter. J.Digno. and Research IJDRMSID0145

|

ISSN :2584-2757

64

Source

of

funding/support:

Nil.

This

work

received no specific grant from any funding agency

in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Author

contributions:

SW

conceived

the

study

and interpreted the classical texts. ND reviewed the

obstetric literature and drafted the manuscript. Both

authors revised and approved the final version.

References :

1.

Orloff

NC,

Hormes

JM.

Pickles

and

ice

cream!

Food

cravings

in

pregnancy:

hypotheses,

preliminary

evidence,

and

directions

for

future

research.

Front

Psychol.

2014;5:1076.

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01076

2.

Hook

EB.

Dietary

cravings

and

aversions

during

pregnancy.

Am

J

Clin

Nutr.

1978;31(8):1355

–

62.

3.

Young

SL.

Pica

in

pregnancy:

new

ideas

about

an

old

condition.

Annu

Rev

Nutr.

2010;30:403

–

22.

doi:10.1146/annurev.nutr.012809.104713

4.

Belzer LM, Smulian JC, Lu SE, Tepper BJ.

Food cravings and intake of sweet foods in

healthy

pregnancy

and

mild

gestational

diabetes

mellitus.

A

prospective

study.

Appetite.

2010;55(3):609

–

15.

doi:10.1016/j.appet.2010.09.014

5.

Agnivesha. Charaka Samhita, elaborated by

Charaka and Dridhabala, with the Ayurveda

Dipika

commentary

of

Chakrapanidatta.

Acharya

YT,

editor.

Reprint

ed.

Varanasi:

Chaukhambha

Surbharati

Prakashan;

2011.

Sharira Sthana, 4/15 and 4/19.

6.

Sushruta.

Sushruta

Samhita,

with

the

Nibandhasangraha

commentary

of

Dalhanacharya

and

the

Nyayachandrika

Panjika

of

Gayadasacharya.

Acharya

YT,

Acharya NR, editors. Reprint ed. Varanasi:

Chaukhambha

Surbharati

Prakashan;

2012.

Sharira Sthana, 3/18

–

28.

7.

Vagbhata.

Ashtanga

Hridaya,

with

the

Sarvangasundara

commentary

of

Arunadatta

and

the

Ayurvedarasayana

commentary

of

Hemadri.

Paradakara

HSS,

editor. Reprint ed. Varanasi: Chaukhambha

Sanskrit

Sansthan;

2011.

Sharira

Sthana,

chapter 1.

8.

Shirke PR. Review on Ayurvedic concept of

Garbhini

Paricharya.

J

Ayurveda

Integr

Med Sci. 2022;7(1):195

–

8.

9.

Tiwari

P.

Ayurvediya

Prasuti

Tantra

evam

Stri

Roga.

Part

1:

Prasuti

Tantra.

2nd

ed.

Varanasi: Chaukhambha Orientalia; 2014.

10.

Moore KL, Persaud TVN, Torchia MG. The

developing

human:

clinically

oriented

embryology.

11th

ed.

Philadelphia:

Elsevier; 2020.

Issue : 1

INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL

OF

DIAGNOSTICS

AND

RESEARCH [ISSN No.: 2584-2757]

Volume : 4

Copyright @ : - Dr.Subhash Waghe Inter. J.Digno. and Research IJDRMSID0145

|

ISSN :2584-2757

65

11.

Hill

AJ,

Cairnduff

V,

McCance

DR.

Nutritional and clinical associations of food

cravings

in

pregnancy.

J

Hum

Nutr

Diet.

2016;29(3):281

–

9. doi:10.1111/jhn.12333

12.

Fikrie

A,

Yalew

A,

Anato

A,

Teklesilasie

W. Magnitude and effects of food cravings

on nutritional status of pregnant women in

Southern

Ethiopia:

a

community-based

cross

sectional

study.

PLoS

One.

2022;17(10):e0276079.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0276079

13.

Prasmusinto

D,

Ikhsan

M,

Setiawan

MW.

Personality traits influence food cravings in

pregnant

women.

Sci

Rep.

2024;14:31281.

doi:10.1038/s41598-024-82686-z

14.

McKerracher L, Collard M, Henrich J. Food

aversions and cravings during pregnancy on

Yasawa

Island,

Fiji.

Hum

Nat.

2016;27(3):296

–

315.

doi:10.1007/s12110-

016-9262-y

15.

Bayley

TM,

Dye

L,

Jones

S,

DeBono

M,

Hill AJ. Food cravings and aversions during

pregnancy:

relationships

with

nausea

and

vomiting. Appetite. 2002;38(1):45

–

51.

16.

Weigel MM, Coe K, Castro NP, Caiza ME,

Tello

N,

Reyes

M.

Food

aversions

and

cravings

during

early

pregnancy:

association with nausea and vomiting. Ecol

Food

Nutr.

2011;50(3):197

–

214.

doi:10.1080/03670244.2011.568906

17.

Placek

CD,

Madhivanan

P,

Hagen

EH.

Innate

food

aversions

and

culturally

transmitted food taboos in pregnant women

in rural southwest India: separate systems to

protect

the

fetus?

Evol

Hum

Behav.

2017;38(6):714

–

28.

18.

Haddad-Tóvolli

R,

Ramírez

S,

Muñoz-

Moreno E, Milà-Guasch M, Miquel-Rio L,

Pozo

M,

et

al.

Food

craving-like

episodes

during pregnancy are mediated by accumbal

dopaminergic

circuits.

Nat

Metab.

2022;4(4):424

–

34.

doi:10.1038/s42255-

022-00557-1

19.

Ladyman

SR,

Augustine

RA,

Grattan

DR.

Hormone

interactions

regulating

energy

balance

during

pregnancy.

J

Neuroendocrinol.

2010;22(7):805

–

17.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2826.2010.02017.x

20.

Flaxman

SM,

Sherman

PW.

Morning

sickness:

a

mechanism

for

protecting

mother

and

embryo.

Q

Rev

Biol.

2000;75(2):113

–

48. doi:10.1086/393377

21.

Mennella JA, Jagnow CP, Beauchamp GK.

Prenatal

and

postnatal

flavor

learning

by

human infants. Pediatrics. 2001;107(6):E88.

22.

Barker

DJP.

The

origins

of

the

developmental origins theory. J Intern Med.

2007;261(5):412

–

7.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-

2796.2007.01809.x

Issue : 1

INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL

OF

DIAGNOSTICS

AND

RESEARCH [ISSN No.: 2584-2757]

Volume : 4

Copyright @ : - Dr.Subhash Waghe Inter. J.Digno. and Research IJDRMSID0145

|

ISSN :2584-2757

66

ISSN: 2584-2757

DOI

:10.5281/zenodo.23434843

Dr. Subhash Waghe

Inter. J.Digno. and Research

This work is licensed under Creative

Commons Attribution 4.0 License

Submission Link :

http://www.ijdrindia.com

Benefits of Publishing with us

Fast peer review process

Global archiving of the articles

Unrestricted open online access

Author retains copyright

Unique DOI for all articles

https://ijdrindia.com

Issue : 1

INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL

OF

DIAGNOSTICS

AND

RESEARCH [ISSN No.: 2584-2757]

Volume : 4

Copyright @ : - Dr.Subhash Waghe Inter. J.Digno. and Research IJDRMSID0145

|

ISSN :2584-2757

67

Introduction :

Study design

Classical sources

Contemporary literature search

Eligibility

Data extraction and analysis

Onset of Dauhrida and its embryological basis

Management directives

Consequences of unfulfilled Dauhrida

Object of Dauhrida and predicted characteristics of the offspring

Table 1. Descriptions of Dauhrida in the major Ayurvedic classics

Contemporary evidence on food cravings in pregnancy

Proposed mechanisms :

Discussion :

Maternal or foetal origin?

4.3 Consequences of unfulfilled cravings

4.4 Maternal diet and offspring characteristics

Regional variation and directions for research

Limitations

Conclusion :

Declarations :

Object

of

Dauhrida

and

predicted

characteristics of the offspring

Table 1. Descriptions of

Dauhrida

in the

major Ayurvedic classics

Contemporary evidence on food cravings in

pregnancy