By Manasi Nene 

Update: We’re all suckers for a good scare story. But that’s no excuse for not fact-checking.

This piece, when it was published yesterday, originally said that the government-issued booklet mentioned that pregnant women should not have sex. What the government did mention was that women should detach themselves from lust, hatred, anger and desire. Our argument is that no lust is still code for no sex.

So we all know that you shouldn’t take on too stress when you’re pregnant, or go on rollercoasters and drink alcohol and do all that fun stuff. But did you also know that you should hang some “good and beautiful pictures in the bedroom” so that your child will also be good and beautiful?

At least, the government seems to think so. As Hindustan Times has reported, the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy, under the AYUSH Ministry, has put out a booklet called Mother and Child Care, that gives advice to pregnant women.

Other great pieces of wisdom from this list are, that pregnant women should  –

– have spiritual thoughts

– read biographies of great personalities

– detach themselves from desire, anger and lust

– avoid bad company

– spend time with “good” people in “stable and peaceful” conditions.

– not have meat, or sex.

Of course, as gynaecologist Malavika Sabharwal has mentioned in the same report, this advice, is completely unscientific. Pregnant women are at risk of malnutrition caused by a deficiency in protein; and pregnant women are at their physical best when they’re happy and stress-free.

Do what you like, ladies. Do what you like.