Mode of Sattva: Scientific Explanation of Garbhadhana Sanskar (Part II): Importance of Timing (Rtu) of Conception

Category: Science in Ancient texts (Hindu Sanskar)

Hi Beautiful & Peaceful Soul,

At the onset, I would like to apologize for the delay in bringing up this blog as I was stuck with some commitments. I will try my level best to not to make you wait for so long for my future blogs.

The meaning of Garbhadhana Sanskar is, placing the seed in the womb. The aim of this sanskar is to get a high quality progeny. Four essential components (Bija, Ambu, Kshtera and Rtu) are required to work together optimally to conceive a child having extraordinary qualities. I have discussed about Bija, Ambu, Kshtera in previous blog on preconception program (https://thepureknowledge.blogspot.com/2020/10/scientific-explanation-of-garbhadharan.html). Here, I will discuss about the importance of fourth component of preconception program i.e., timing (Rtu).

After purification and rejuvenation, the time comes for Garbhadhana Sanskar in which parents with pure body and soul are ready to mate for placing the seed in womb at a particular time and day for desired progeny. According to Acharyas, an auspicious day and time has been fixed for Garbhadhana Sanskar.

Remember, spiritually married couples are just instruments for soul to come into this world. They should pray with pure mind so that a great soul can enter in womb. It has been said that, the state of souls of married couple attracts same state of soul in womb.

Most couples focus on this one factor Rtu (Timing) more than any other. We start noticing the ovulation time in order to conceive properly. But, there is a greater need to focus on other things such as right season, day, time and positions to mate for conception. Moreover, it should be a peaceful time in the world without any influence or chances of war or natural calamities around the corner (1).

Now, coming to the point, I will explain the importance of timing (Rtu) of conception.

A. What is the optimal season for conception?

Although, human can enjoy intimacy through out the year in moderation but the best season for having sex is winter and early spring according to Ayurveda (3). The reason is, sex is an energy draining process and our body is strongest in winters (70). This is due to the maximum strength of Agni (digestive fire) which directly relates to the production of Ojas (a superfine biological substance that gives strength to all the body tissues)(4). Moreover, data indicates that the conception rate is higher during winter months probably because the concentration of sperms with normal morphology is higher in winter and spring than summer and fall seasons (7, 9).

Ironically, the levels of testosterone, a hormone responsible for male sexual behavior, as well as the frequency of sexual thoughts and ejaculation in a week are comparatively low in winters (January-February) than summers (July-August) (10). The reason for this could be more darkness in winters which may suppress sexual activity (2, 83, 84, 85). Still, there is a high conception rate in winter season. How?

The phenomenon of suppressed sexual activity was observed only when a healthy person not suffering from any problems such as low body fat level, law calorie diet and deficiencies of zinc, magnesium and vitamin D misses out natural light during dark winters.

B. What is the right day to intercourse for conception?

According to modern science, the follicular phase starts on the first day of period (so there is some overlap with the menstrual phase) and ends when ovulation occurs. The average follicular phase lasts for about 16 days. It can range from 11 to 27 days, depending on length of menstrual cycle as the length of the menstrual cycle varies from woman to woman (15, 20).

Follicular phase starts when hypothalamus sends a signal to pituitary gland to release, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). This hormone stimulates ovaries to produce around 5 to 20 small sacs called follicles. Each follicle contains an immature egg and only the healthiest egg will eventually mature with an exception of two eggs maturing simultaneously on rare occasions. The rest of the follicles will be reabsorbed into body. During days 10 to 14, one of the developing follicles forms a fully mature egg. When egg matures, surge in estrogen hormone thickens the lining of uterus. This creates a nutrient-rich environment for an embryo to grow. Rising estrogen levels during the follicular phase trigger pituitary gland to slow down the production of FSH and release Luteinizing hormone (LH) (46). This starts the process of ovulation (release of mature egg from ovary) which may happen in 28 to 36 hours (one an half day) after LH surge (15, 21).

Ovulation happens at around day 14, right in the middle of average menstrual cycle of 28 days but, the exact time of ovulation varies according to difference in the length of mensuration cycle. The length of the menstrual cycle varies from woman to woman depending on the body constitution, hormonal levels, health of reproductive system, medications, stress and lifestyle disorders. The average is to have periods every 28 days but regular cycles longer or shorter than this, from 21 to 40 days, are also considered normal (20).

So, the most ideal time for having sex to conceive is "fertile window" in menstrual cycle. Fertile window is the period when there are high chances that sexual intercourse would lead to pregnancy. This is the day of ovulation plus the amount of time that sperm can live inside the cervix before it fertilizes. The egg once released can survive only for 24 hours after which the sperm can no longer fertilize it. According to American college of obstetricians and Gynecologists 9 (ACOG), a woman can become pregnant if coitus is done anywhere between 5 days before until 1 day after ovulation (26). In other report, fertile window includes five days prior to ovulation and the day of ovulation (14). Therefore, intercourse done five days prior to ovulation is fruitful for conception.

Depending on menstrual cycle, the fertile window may vary from one person to another. To calculate the fertility window, a person should note the first day of a period until the next period occurs. This timeframe is the menstrual cycle. On an average, most people who menstruate have a 28-day cycle. According to ACOG, ovulation occurs around day 14 of the menstrual cycle. A person with a 28-day cycle, for example, will have their fertile window 5 days before the ovulation date (26).

Now, as discussed above, fertile window includes five days prior to ovulation and the day of ovulation. A study showed the conception occurs only when intercourse takes place during a six-day period ending on the estimated day of ovulation. The probability of conception ranged from 10%, when intercourse occurred five days before ovulation, to 33% when it occurred on the day of ovulation itself. The chances of conceiving on either day 7 before ovulation and day after ovulation were noted to be 12% (19). Later studies showed conception probabilities with respect to days to ovulation ranging -7 to +1 for a single episode of intercourse were 0.106, 0.079, 0.216, 0.102, 0.236, 0.233, 0.388, 0.293 and 0.386, respectively. This means there is a chance of conception if sexual intercourse occurs before 7 days of ovulation till one day after ovulation (27). It was also found that day-specific probability of conception sharply rises at 7 days after the last menstrual period, reaching its maximum at 15 days and returning to zero by 25 days (28). These studies also showed that the conception probability was higher on days closure to and day of ovulation, especially 12 to 15 days of cycle (19, 27, 28).

Now, question is what can be the reason of high conception probability on days closure to and day of ovulation?

As ovulation approaches much more cervical fluid is produced. Vagina will start to feel much wetter and fluid becomes more slippery as its water content rises. The clear, stretchy mucus having consistency of egg whites will be present during ovulation. The amount of vaginal discharge at this time is different for everyone, but it can be up to 10-20 times more than other points in cycle (65). Cervical fluid allows sperm to enter the uterus and reach the egg at ovulation. Changes in cervical fluid makes it difficult or easy for sperm to swim past cervix into the uterus. This also protects sperm from the acidic environment of vagina (58, 59, 63). The strong association between timing of intercourse within this interval and the probability of conception typically is attributed to limited sperm and egg life times. An egg only lives 2-24 hours after ovulation, but sperm can live much longer, often 3-5 days in fertile cervical fluid due to its protective actions. Scientific study stated that to maximize the likelihood of conception, intercourse should occur on days with optimal mucus quality, as observed in vaginal discharge, regardless of the exact timing relative to ovulation (61). Those who wish to get pregnant, have intercourse right before ovulation, as sperm can live in reproductive tract for several days. If already ovulating, egg will be fertilized immediately (60).

There are other factors also affecting conception probabilities on particular days of fertile period. For instance regularity/irregularity of cycle, age, ethnicity, lifestyle (smoking) affects conception probabilities of women in their fertile cycle (28). Occurrence of pregnancy also depends on timing of intercourse, rather than the multiple acts of intercourse (27). Besides, more frequent acts may affect the quality of sperm. Sperm have better quality when collected after 2-3 day period of abstinence and higher rates of conception are seen in couples who have sex every 1-2 days (14).

So, coming back to ovulation.... After releasing its egg, follicle changes into corpus luteum. This structure releases progesterone and some estrogen hormones. The rise in hormones keeps uterine lining thick (13). If egg gets fertilized by sperm after travelling down to fallopian tube towards the uterus, then high progesterone levels support the pregnancy. Else, the corpus luteum will shrink away and be resorbed. This leads to decreased levels of estrogen and progesterone, which causes the onset of period. The uterine lining sheds during this period. The phase from couple of days after ovulation to initiation of next period is called Luteal phase which lasts for 11 to 17 days. The average length of this phase is 14 days (15, 45).

C. Ayurveda's take on above discussed matter

Ayurveda says, a healthy menstruation lasts a few days and occurs every 28 days, starting from around the age of 12 until around 50 years of age. According to Ayurveda the best time for having sex to conceive is during "Rutukala". It is the period of 12 days, starting from fourth day of cessation of mensuration, and of 16 days, starting from the first day of mensuration. Ideal kala for conception is 4 to 15 or 16 day of mensuration (33, 34, 35).

Rutukala is compared to proliferative phase of menstrual cycle and also includes ovulation time (17). According to modern science, proliferative phase starts the day after period and completes to ovulation, followed by proliferation and thickening of endometrial lining of uterus (53). The woman during this stage of mensural cycle is called Ritumati (16, 17, 18).

1. Ancient texts (Vishudh Manusmriti) also says that coitus should be done during Rutukala phase only. Man should maintain celibacy whole month except her phase of fertile period.

According to my interpretation, there may be several reasons why ancient texts suggest to get intimate only during this phase of her monthly cycle:

1.a. Woman has strong sex drive right before ovulation. Some researchers are of opinion that increased estrogen level during ovulation potentially triggers a rise in libido of women which drops with increase in progesterone post ovulation (36, 37, 52). Increase in estrogen levels typically start earlier than luteinizing hormone but generally peak at the same time. Ovulation is the time of high fertility and our body is biologically wired to procreate. Woman's sexual desire starts to increase three days before peak Luteinizing hormone level. Since LH peaks 24 to 36 hours before ovulation therefore having sex during this time frame increases the chances of attaining pregnancy. Naturally, women have high desire and frequency of sexual intercourse during peak LH levels as indicated by a study conducted for 90 days (36). Since there is no such phenomenon for man, so husband should be sensible towards the sex drive of his wife. Otherwise, getting intimate on day other than her fertile period negatively affects woman and can cause nervous disorders (34).

1.b. Increased production of cervical mucus prior to ovulation. Increased cervical mucus production increases vaginal sensitivity and moistness which in turn enhances sexual desire (36). Not only hormones affect the sexual derive of women but other factors such as pregnancy, menopause, fatigue, stress, relationship and medical conditions also affect sexual desire.

1.c. Increased attraction for male partner. Men can use olfactory cues to detect the reproductive status of women (67, 68, 69). Researchers have found that ovulating women may display certain behaviors in order to attract men, even if they are unaware of it (57). Moreover, it is also found that women near ovulation reports greater attraction to men other than their primary partners, particularly when their partner lacks required traits (68).

2. Another time when women has increased libido is right two days before periods begin. However, this period is not appropriate to conceive as change in cervical mucus after ovulation obstructs the entry of new sperm (34, 19). Then what could be the reason for sexual desire just two days before periods even in the absence of estrogen hormone? There are several theories behind sexual arousal right before periods:

2.a. Awareness about the fact that there is a reduced risk of pregnancy just before periods encourages people to become adventurous (37, 56).

2.b. Experience of bloating in the run-up to the period put pressure on G spot if located in pelvic region. This makes G spot extra sensitive (37, 56).

2.c. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) starts between 5 and 11 days before menstruation. The symptoms of PMS such as cramps and fatigue get relieved by release of mood boosting endorphins by having orgasm (37, 56).

3. According to ancient text (Vishudh Manusmriti), among these 16 days of Rutukala, coitus is forbidden a) till four nights from the day mensuration started and b) on 11th and 13th nights. Coitus is also forbidden on a particular Tithi such as Ashthami, Chaturdasi, Purnima, Amavasya and festivals along with inauspicious geological events such eclipses (34). Therefore, the ideal days for having sex to conceive varies. For instance, if there is no Tithi or festival during Rutukala then 10 days are left as ideal days (excluding four nights of mensuration and 11th and 13th nights from 16 days of Rutukala).

3.a. Why coitus is forbidden during 11th and 13th day of menstrual cycle?

According to my interpretation, as scientific studies showed that there is a highest probability of fertilization two days before and on the day of ovulation (14, 19 and 28). Moreover, it is discussed above that more frequent acts of intercourse may affect the quality of sperm as sperm has better quality when collected after 1-2 day period of abstinence. It has been observed that only 6 percent of conceptions could be firmly attributed to fertilization by sperm three or more days old (19). So, to not to waste sperm in performing coitus on 11th and 13th night of menstrual cycle makes sense.

3.b. Why coitus should not be done on a particular Tithi such as Ashthami, Chaturdasi, Purnima, Amavasya and festivals along with inauspicious geological events such eclipses?

Friends, as discussed above, I have given the biological reason why coitus should not be done on particular nights of women's menstrual cycle. Moreover, if ancient texts have mentioned particular days in each month and occasions in year for not suitable for conception, then there must be geological factors behind it. These factors affect the body and mind of couple and interrupt the proper development of child if conception occurs. Thus, these days should be utilized to indulge in spiritual activities.

For instance, during full/new moon (Purnima and Amavasya) and Chaturdashi, the gravitational pulls of moon and sun are synced and affect the flow of fluid in the human body. Similarly, on Ashtami, sun and moon are in right angle position to each other with respect to earth and sun's gravity works against the gravity of moon and this reduces the attraction power of moon. I will definitely write an article on this topic after completing this series on Hindu Sanskars.

4. Other important points to remember before mating:

4.a. Coitus should not be done during periods, pregnancy, and just after delivery. Ayurveda suggests that sexual intercourse aggravates Vata in the body. When menstrual cycle starts, women experience Vata and Pitta. Having sex during this time can aggravate Vata, leading to pain and other complications (80). There is also high risk of spreading a sexually transmitted disease at this time (71). Studies showed higher occurrence of endometriosis in women having vaginal intercourse or non-coital sexual activities, leading to orgasm during menstruation (72).

It is known that there is a restriction to have sex for a limited period during pregnancy or if there are any medical complications. Except these, modern science does not restrict to indulge in sex (73). However, as per Ayurveda, pregnancy is a kapha (building and nourishing) period while sex has a vata quality. Sex involves the release of ojas, critical for establishment of pregnancy. It feeds the embryo and the growing fetus. Therefore, it is recommended not to release too much ojas by indulging in frequent sexual activities (74). Ayurveda always recommends to have specific food and drinks to replenish the lost ojas. Moreover, pregnancy is considered as a spiritual time as sex is not only viewed as a physical act, but as a sacred union between two bodies, minds and souls (75).

Modern science recommends to wait for at least 4 to 6 weeks before indulging in sexual activity in case of vaginal (normal) delivery. Reason behind this is, the levels of estrogen, responsible for vaginal lubrication, drop significantly after childbirth. Low level of this hormone increases vaginal dryness leading to irritation, bleeding and infection (75).

Coitus should be done only with purity of body, soul and mind achieved with healthy lifestyle. It should not be done in any adverse condition such viz., hunger or overeating, thirst, scare, sorrow, anger and absence of desire due to illness. The impact of physiological and psychological condition of parents during coitus on the development of child is well known.

4.b. Avoid watching provocative content and reading sensual books. The place for coitus should be pure atmosphere where deities dwell. It has been observed that sexual activity driven by attachment (love), leads to the release of oxytocin hormone (love hormone/happy hormone) which cause a surge of positive emotions. This hormone is not released if sexual activity is done with a feeling of lust. During coitus, couple should be free from all types of negative emotions as it affects the physiology and psychology of child. Ancient texts have mentioned a prayer to be recited with absolute concentration prior to conception. Moreover, oxytocin helps in movement of sperm in males (76, 77).

D. What is right time to intercourse for conception?

Modern science and Ayurveda suggests different times for sex based on desired outcome. Rigorous sex should be done in morning, as it is equal to the physical exercise. It enhances Vata in order to counteract Kapha in the morning (6 am -10 am). Thus helps to overcome tiredness, laziness and lethargy caused by Kapha. But, the ideal time for sex is between 10 pm to 11 pm. Before 10 pm is Kapha time and it is the time to be relaxed. After 10 pm Pitta time begins, bringing passion and fire into the atmosphere as well as our bodies (78) making our stamina reach its peak (79).

It is also suggested to wait for 2-3 hours after your meals before getting frisky with your partner. Simply because our body diverts all its energy towards the digestive tract to break down and assimilate the food. If body gets indulged in sex immediately after meal, blood will rush towards the pelvic parts, thus creating a state of confusion for the body. In addition, sexual activity can lead to an increase in heart rate at a time when it needs to be resting, thereby putting more pressure on it (80).

E. What is right position to intercourse for conception?

According to Ayurveda, the perfect sex position would be with the man on top and the woman lying on the bed with her face in the upward position. This position satisfies the desires of both the partners and make their sexual intimacy more exciting. This position allows deeper penetration bringing sperm in closer proximity to the cervix (14). There are certain gravity-defying positions such as sitting or woman on top that may discourage sperm from traveling upstream. Standing up right after sex shouldn't reduce chance of pregnancy. Sperm are pretty good swimmers, once deposited in the vagina, they can reach the cervix within 15 minutes (14).

Friends, I have tried my best to link the concept of Garbhadhana Sanskar with Ayurveda and modern science. I hope, it is a good read for you. In my next blog, I will try to explore the science behind the concept of conceiving the child of desired gender mentioned in ancient texts. This is also part of Garbhadhan Sanskar.

Take care

Yours Sincerely

Purnima Ghai

References:

1.https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/health-guides/preparing-for-pregnancy-a-couples-ayurvedic-guide-to-fertility/

2.https://lifespa.com/humans-mating-season/

3.https://kripalu.org/resources/six-ayurvedic-practices-better-sex-life

4.https://www.purushaayurveda.com/articles/2015/7/14/ojas-the-pure-essence-of-all-bodily-tissues#:~:text=In%20Ayurveda%2C%20we%20believe%20ojas,It%20is%20like%20honey.&text=It%20is%20a%20superfine%20biological,to%20all%20the%20body's%20tissues.

5.https://www.yogiapproved.com/love-sex/ayurveda-and-sex/

6.https://www.lybrate.com/topic/golden-sex-rules-of-ayurveda/89373098429047128b6c06612a609d69

7.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12634309/

8.https://in.reuters.com/article/us-sperm/even-for-sperm-there-is-a-season-idUSBRE9290IW20130310