Abstract

Infertility is global issue. On an average 8-12% of couples are affected by infertility worldwide. Infertility is defined as a failure to conceive within one or more years of regular unprotected coitus. Conception depends on the fertility potential of both the male and female partner. There are different causes for male and female infertility. Common causes for female infertility are tubal factors 25-35%, ovarian factor 15-25%, uterine factor 10% and cervical factor 5%. Even though cervical causes contribute only 5% in infertility, a small group of women may have an unhealthy condition of cervix like abnormal mucus production or a prior cervical surgical procedure or chronic cervicitis which can lead to disturbances in the production of cervical mucus in which the sperm cannot pass through the cervical canal. Cervical mucus is necessary for allowing the sperm to swim freely through the cervix and supports the sperm in reaching the ova. Ayurveda has clearly stated the four essential factors or pre-requisites necessary for conception, one of them being ambu i.e. nourishing factor. In the classics many yoga’s like phalaghrita, kalyanakaghrita and certain vrushya drugs, even stanika chikitsa has been explained which will help to maintain the fertile cervical mucus. The present literary study thus focuses mainly on interpreting the ambu with respect to cervical mucus on the basis of modern scientific knowledge.