Food Cravings in the Antenatal Period and the Ayurvedic Concept of Dauhrida: A Critical Review of Classical Literature and Contemporary Evidence

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