• Home
    • All
    • Art
    • Bollywood
    • Business
    • Cricket
    • Crypto
    • Culture
    • Daily Horoscope
    • Economy
    • Elections
    • Entertainment
    • Fashion
    • Gaming
    • Health
    • History
    • India
    • Lifestyle
    • Movie Reviews
    • Photos
    • Politics
    • Sci-Tech
    • Science
    • Sports
    • Tech
    • Trending
    • TV
    • Uncategorized
    • Web Series
    • World News
    New rules on animal testing must take India forward, not backwards: Maneka Gandhi Officials maintain the changes seek to simplify approvals for research institutions, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Updated on: Oct 26, 2026, 14:54:47 IST By Jasjeev Gandhiok Prefer HTPrefer HT Prefer HT on Google Share The Centre’s draft rules governing animal experimentation have triggered concerns among animal rights groups, which say the changes could weaken independent oversight and make it easier for laboratories to conduct experiments on animals. However, officials maintain the changes seek to simplify approvals for research institutions, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Former Union minister Maneka Gandhi. Former Union minister Maneka Gandhi. HT speaks to animal rights activist and former Union minister Maneka Gandhi, a long-time campaigner against animal experimentation. Edited excerpts: A major change to animal experimentation, proposed in the draft, is that mild and moderate experiments could be approved by an institution’s own ethics committee rather than going to the central regulator. In practical terms, what does this change mean for an animal inside a laboratory? Does it make it easier for more animals to be experimented on? It means the animal loses the one independent pair of eyes that was looking at its fate. Today, experiments on animals larger than a rat go to the central regulator, and there is at least someone outside the building asking whether this experiment is necessary at all. Under the draft, the people who want to do the experiment, their colleagues and their department heads will be the ones approving it. And it is the institution itself, through its own veterinarian, that decides whether the experiment is mild or moderate in the first place. No institution has ever turned down its own funding. So yes, it will make it easier, and it will make it faster, and that means more animals. Mild and moderate are also the bulk of experiments, so we are effectively handing over most of animal experimentation in India to self regulation. The draft classifies experiments as mild, moderate, severe and non-recovery. Is there a concern that the institution conducting the research will effectively decide how severe the experiment is. Does this leave a grey area? It isn’t grey, it is completely black. Under this draft, the institution that wants to do the experiment is also the one that decides which category it falls into. That decision matters enormously, because if the experiment is classified as mild or moderate, the institution’s own committee approves it and it never goes to the central regulator. Only severe and non-recovery experiments on larger animals go outside. So the same people who want the experiment approved are deciding whether anyone independent will ever examine it. That is a clear conflict of interest, and it will push experiments towards the lower categories. Starving a rat for a day is called mild. Keeping a social animal alone in a cage is mild. Starving it for two days, or putting it through distress it cannot escape, is moderate. So is testing herbal products, testing established drugs, and anything described as having “known and reversible effects,” which could mean almost anything. This is not a scientific list. It is the most common commercial work. The draft also creates exceptions and allows laboratories to use animals from open markets, unregistered sources, and in certain circumstances, stray, feral, wild and protected animals. What is the biggest risk that this may create for animals in practice? Could community dogs, lost pets or animals taken from the wild find their way into laboratories? The biggest risk is that nobody will know where an animal came from. The whole point of registered breeders was traceability. Once you allow open markets and unregistered sources for cattle, goats, birds and fish, you create a demand, and in this country demand is met very quickly by people who will pick up anything. Strays and wild animals can be used if a “competent authority” permits it, and the draft never says who that is. Community dogs, someone’s lost pet, birds from illegal markets, all of it can find its way into a laboratory. These exceptions should be removed completely. If a lab cannot get an animal from a registered source, it should not be doing that experiment. The draft formally incorporates the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement, but critics say these safeguards become weaker if institutions themselves are approving experiments. Do you believe India should now be moving towards replacing animal experiments altogether, particularly when the health ministry has already allowed certain drug testing through non-animal methods? What should the rules do differently? Yes, and we are not starting from zero. The health ministry has already amended the drug rules to accept non-animal methods. The world is moving this way because these methods are often more predictive for humans than a mouse ever was. Writing replacement, reduction and refinement into the rules means nothing if the person checking compliance is the institution itself. The rules should make it mandatory to show that no validated alternative exists before an animal is used, set up a national body to validate and promote alternatives, put money into them, and set timelines to phase out animal use in areas where alternatives are already available. A rule that only mentions replacement as a principle is decoration. You have worked on animal experimentation regulation for decades. What specific changes would you want the government to make to this draft? I don’t think this draft can be fixed. There is hardly a provision in it that doesn’t need changing, and when everything needs to change, it is better to start again. So the draft should be put aside and written afresh, this time with independent scientists, animal welfare organisations and legal experts at the table. The new rules must take India forward, not backwards. Animals already have certain protections under the law which cannot be taken away. New should be building on them.

    New rules on animal testing must take India forward, not backwards: Maneka Gandhi Officials maintain the changes seek to simplify approvals for research institutions, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Updated on: Oct 26, 2026, 14:54:47 IST By Jasjeev Gandhiok Prefer HTPrefer HT Prefer HT on Google Share The Centre’s draft rules governing animal experimentation have triggered concerns among animal rights groups, which say the changes could weaken independent oversight and make it easier for laboratories to conduct experiments on animals. However, officials maintain the changes seek to simplify approvals for research institutions, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Former Union minister Maneka Gandhi. Former Union minister Maneka Gandhi. HT speaks to animal rights activist and former Union minister Maneka Gandhi, a long-time campaigner against animal experimentation. Edited excerpts: A major change to animal experimentation, proposed in the draft, is that mild and moderate experiments could be approved by an institution’s own ethics committee rather than going to the central regulator. In practical terms, what does this change mean for an animal inside a laboratory? Does it make it easier for more animals to be experimented on? It means the animal loses the one independent pair of eyes that was looking at its fate. Today, experiments on animals larger than a rat go to the central regulator, and there is at least someone outside the building asking whether this experiment is necessary at all. Under the draft, the people who want to do the experiment, their colleagues and their department heads will be the ones approving it. And it is the institution itself, through its own veterinarian, that decides whether the experiment is mild or moderate in the first place. No institution has ever turned down its own funding. So yes, it will make it easier, and it will make it faster, and that means more animals. Mild and moderate are also the bulk of experiments, so we are effectively handing over most of animal experimentation in India to self regulation. The draft classifies experiments as mild, moderate, severe and non-recovery. Is there a concern that the institution conducting the research will effectively decide how severe the experiment is. Does this leave a grey area? It isn’t grey, it is completely black. Under this draft, the institution that wants to do the experiment is also the one that decides which category it falls into. That decision matters enormously, because if the experiment is classified as mild or moderate, the institution’s own committee approves it and it never goes to the central regulator. Only severe and non-recovery experiments on larger animals go outside. So the same people who want the experiment approved are deciding whether anyone independent will ever examine it. That is a clear conflict of interest, and it will push experiments towards the lower categories. Starving a rat for a day is called mild. Keeping a social animal alone in a cage is mild. Starving it for two days, or putting it through distress it cannot escape, is moderate. So is testing herbal products, testing established drugs, and anything described as having “known and reversible effects,” which could mean almost anything. This is not a scientific list. It is the most common commercial work. The draft also creates exceptions and allows laboratories to use animals from open markets, unregistered sources, and in certain circumstances, stray, feral, wild and protected animals. What is the biggest risk that this may create for animals in practice? Could community dogs, lost pets or animals taken from the wild find their way into laboratories? The biggest risk is that nobody will know where an animal came from. The whole point of registered breeders was traceability. Once you allow open markets and unregistered sources for cattle, goats, birds and fish, you create a demand, and in this country demand is met very quickly by people who will pick up anything. Strays and wild animals can be used if a “competent authority” permits it, and the draft never says who that is. Community dogs, someone’s lost pet, birds from illegal markets, all of it can find its way into a laboratory. These exceptions should be removed completely. If a lab cannot get an animal from a registered source, it should not be doing that experiment. The draft formally incorporates the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement, but critics say these safeguards become weaker if institutions themselves are approving experiments. Do you believe India should now be moving towards replacing animal experiments altogether, particularly when the health ministry has already allowed certain drug testing through non-animal methods? What should the rules do differently? Yes, and we are not starting from zero. The health ministry has already amended the drug rules to accept non-animal methods. The world is moving this way because these methods are often more predictive for humans than a mouse ever was. Writing replacement, reduction and refinement into the rules means nothing if the person checking compliance is the institution itself. The rules should make it mandatory to show that no validated alternative exists before an animal is used, set up a national body to validate and promote alternatives, put money into them, and set timelines to phase out animal use in areas where alternatives are already available. A rule that only mentions replacement as a principle is decoration. You have worked on animal experimentation regulation for decades. What specific changes would you want the government to make to this draft? I don’t think this draft can be fixed. There is hardly a provision in it that doesn’t need changing, and when everything needs to change, it is better to start again. So the draft should be put aside and written afresh, this time with independent scientists, animal welfare organisations and legal experts at the table. The new rules must take India forward, not backwards. Animals already have certain protections under the law which cannot be taken away. New should be building on them.

    Orissa High Court Rules SC/ST Status Cannot Be Carried Across State Borders

    Orissa High Court Rules SC/ST Status Cannot Be Carried Across State Borders

    Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Response to Challenge Against Chhattisgarh Anti-Conversion Law

    Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Response to Challenge Against Chhattisgarh Anti-Conversion Law

    Lula’s Brazil Re-Election: What It Means for India’s Trade, Rare Earths and Global South Push

    Lula’s Brazil Re-Election: What It Means for India’s Trade, Rare Earths and Global South Push

    IAF Chief AP Singh Flies Final Sortie in Kiran Aircraft, Reunites With First Flying Instructor

    IAF Chief AP Singh Flies Final Sortie in Kiran Aircraft, Reunites With First Flying Instructor

    Rubio Backs India’s Energy Diversification, Offers US Support Amid Russian Oil Debate

    Rubio Backs India’s Energy Diversification, Offers US Support Amid Russian Oil Debate

    Trending Tags

    • Movie
    • Music
  • Trending
  • India
    • Politics
    • States
    • Elections
    • Results
  • World News
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Markets
    • Real Estate
    • Crypto
  • More
    • Entertainment
      • Bollywood
      • TV
      • Movie Reviews
      • Web Series
    • Sports
      • Cricket
      • Football
      • Games
    • Sci-Tech
      • Science
      • Tech
      • Gadgets
      • Gaming
    • Culture
      • History
      • Festivals
      • Art
      • Temples
      • Scriptures
    • Lifestyle
      • Fashion
      • Food
      • Health
      • Travel
    • Student’s Corner
      • Exam
      • Exam Results
      • Schools
      • Universities
    • Astrology
      • Daily Horoscope
      • Monthly Horoscope
      • Days
  • Opinion
  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
    • All
    • Art
    • Bollywood
    • Business
    • Cricket
    • Crypto
    • Culture
    • Daily Horoscope
    • Economy
    • Elections
    • Entertainment
    • Fashion
    • Gaming
    • Health
    • History
    • India
    • Lifestyle
    • Movie Reviews
    • Photos
    • Politics
    • Sci-Tech
    • Science
    • Sports
    • Tech
    • Trending
    • TV
    • Uncategorized
    • Web Series
    • World News
    New rules on animal testing must take India forward, not backwards: Maneka Gandhi Officials maintain the changes seek to simplify approvals for research institutions, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Updated on: Oct 26, 2026, 14:54:47 IST By Jasjeev Gandhiok Prefer HTPrefer HT Prefer HT on Google Share The Centre’s draft rules governing animal experimentation have triggered concerns among animal rights groups, which say the changes could weaken independent oversight and make it easier for laboratories to conduct experiments on animals. However, officials maintain the changes seek to simplify approvals for research institutions, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Former Union minister Maneka Gandhi. Former Union minister Maneka Gandhi. HT speaks to animal rights activist and former Union minister Maneka Gandhi, a long-time campaigner against animal experimentation. Edited excerpts: A major change to animal experimentation, proposed in the draft, is that mild and moderate experiments could be approved by an institution’s own ethics committee rather than going to the central regulator. In practical terms, what does this change mean for an animal inside a laboratory? Does it make it easier for more animals to be experimented on? It means the animal loses the one independent pair of eyes that was looking at its fate. Today, experiments on animals larger than a rat go to the central regulator, and there is at least someone outside the building asking whether this experiment is necessary at all. Under the draft, the people who want to do the experiment, their colleagues and their department heads will be the ones approving it. And it is the institution itself, through its own veterinarian, that decides whether the experiment is mild or moderate in the first place. No institution has ever turned down its own funding. So yes, it will make it easier, and it will make it faster, and that means more animals. Mild and moderate are also the bulk of experiments, so we are effectively handing over most of animal experimentation in India to self regulation. The draft classifies experiments as mild, moderate, severe and non-recovery. Is there a concern that the institution conducting the research will effectively decide how severe the experiment is. Does this leave a grey area? It isn’t grey, it is completely black. Under this draft, the institution that wants to do the experiment is also the one that decides which category it falls into. That decision matters enormously, because if the experiment is classified as mild or moderate, the institution’s own committee approves it and it never goes to the central regulator. Only severe and non-recovery experiments on larger animals go outside. So the same people who want the experiment approved are deciding whether anyone independent will ever examine it. That is a clear conflict of interest, and it will push experiments towards the lower categories. Starving a rat for a day is called mild. Keeping a social animal alone in a cage is mild. Starving it for two days, or putting it through distress it cannot escape, is moderate. So is testing herbal products, testing established drugs, and anything described as having “known and reversible effects,” which could mean almost anything. This is not a scientific list. It is the most common commercial work. The draft also creates exceptions and allows laboratories to use animals from open markets, unregistered sources, and in certain circumstances, stray, feral, wild and protected animals. What is the biggest risk that this may create for animals in practice? Could community dogs, lost pets or animals taken from the wild find their way into laboratories? The biggest risk is that nobody will know where an animal came from. The whole point of registered breeders was traceability. Once you allow open markets and unregistered sources for cattle, goats, birds and fish, you create a demand, and in this country demand is met very quickly by people who will pick up anything. Strays and wild animals can be used if a “competent authority” permits it, and the draft never says who that is. Community dogs, someone’s lost pet, birds from illegal markets, all of it can find its way into a laboratory. These exceptions should be removed completely. If a lab cannot get an animal from a registered source, it should not be doing that experiment. The draft formally incorporates the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement, but critics say these safeguards become weaker if institutions themselves are approving experiments. Do you believe India should now be moving towards replacing animal experiments altogether, particularly when the health ministry has already allowed certain drug testing through non-animal methods? What should the rules do differently? Yes, and we are not starting from zero. The health ministry has already amended the drug rules to accept non-animal methods. The world is moving this way because these methods are often more predictive for humans than a mouse ever was. Writing replacement, reduction and refinement into the rules means nothing if the person checking compliance is the institution itself. The rules should make it mandatory to show that no validated alternative exists before an animal is used, set up a national body to validate and promote alternatives, put money into them, and set timelines to phase out animal use in areas where alternatives are already available. A rule that only mentions replacement as a principle is decoration. You have worked on animal experimentation regulation for decades. What specific changes would you want the government to make to this draft? I don’t think this draft can be fixed. There is hardly a provision in it that doesn’t need changing, and when everything needs to change, it is better to start again. So the draft should be put aside and written afresh, this time with independent scientists, animal welfare organisations and legal experts at the table. The new rules must take India forward, not backwards. Animals already have certain protections under the law which cannot be taken away. New should be building on them.

    New rules on animal testing must take India forward, not backwards: Maneka Gandhi Officials maintain the changes seek to simplify approvals for research institutions, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Updated on: Oct 26, 2026, 14:54:47 IST By Jasjeev Gandhiok Prefer HTPrefer HT Prefer HT on Google Share The Centre’s draft rules governing animal experimentation have triggered concerns among animal rights groups, which say the changes could weaken independent oversight and make it easier for laboratories to conduct experiments on animals. However, officials maintain the changes seek to simplify approvals for research institutions, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Former Union minister Maneka Gandhi. Former Union minister Maneka Gandhi. HT speaks to animal rights activist and former Union minister Maneka Gandhi, a long-time campaigner against animal experimentation. Edited excerpts: A major change to animal experimentation, proposed in the draft, is that mild and moderate experiments could be approved by an institution’s own ethics committee rather than going to the central regulator. In practical terms, what does this change mean for an animal inside a laboratory? Does it make it easier for more animals to be experimented on? It means the animal loses the one independent pair of eyes that was looking at its fate. Today, experiments on animals larger than a rat go to the central regulator, and there is at least someone outside the building asking whether this experiment is necessary at all. Under the draft, the people who want to do the experiment, their colleagues and their department heads will be the ones approving it. And it is the institution itself, through its own veterinarian, that decides whether the experiment is mild or moderate in the first place. No institution has ever turned down its own funding. So yes, it will make it easier, and it will make it faster, and that means more animals. Mild and moderate are also the bulk of experiments, so we are effectively handing over most of animal experimentation in India to self regulation. The draft classifies experiments as mild, moderate, severe and non-recovery. Is there a concern that the institution conducting the research will effectively decide how severe the experiment is. Does this leave a grey area? It isn’t grey, it is completely black. Under this draft, the institution that wants to do the experiment is also the one that decides which category it falls into. That decision matters enormously, because if the experiment is classified as mild or moderate, the institution’s own committee approves it and it never goes to the central regulator. Only severe and non-recovery experiments on larger animals go outside. So the same people who want the experiment approved are deciding whether anyone independent will ever examine it. That is a clear conflict of interest, and it will push experiments towards the lower categories. Starving a rat for a day is called mild. Keeping a social animal alone in a cage is mild. Starving it for two days, or putting it through distress it cannot escape, is moderate. So is testing herbal products, testing established drugs, and anything described as having “known and reversible effects,” which could mean almost anything. This is not a scientific list. It is the most common commercial work. The draft also creates exceptions and allows laboratories to use animals from open markets, unregistered sources, and in certain circumstances, stray, feral, wild and protected animals. What is the biggest risk that this may create for animals in practice? Could community dogs, lost pets or animals taken from the wild find their way into laboratories? The biggest risk is that nobody will know where an animal came from. The whole point of registered breeders was traceability. Once you allow open markets and unregistered sources for cattle, goats, birds and fish, you create a demand, and in this country demand is met very quickly by people who will pick up anything. Strays and wild animals can be used if a “competent authority” permits it, and the draft never says who that is. Community dogs, someone’s lost pet, birds from illegal markets, all of it can find its way into a laboratory. These exceptions should be removed completely. If a lab cannot get an animal from a registered source, it should not be doing that experiment. The draft formally incorporates the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement, but critics say these safeguards become weaker if institutions themselves are approving experiments. Do you believe India should now be moving towards replacing animal experiments altogether, particularly when the health ministry has already allowed certain drug testing through non-animal methods? What should the rules do differently? Yes, and we are not starting from zero. The health ministry has already amended the drug rules to accept non-animal methods. The world is moving this way because these methods are often more predictive for humans than a mouse ever was. Writing replacement, reduction and refinement into the rules means nothing if the person checking compliance is the institution itself. The rules should make it mandatory to show that no validated alternative exists before an animal is used, set up a national body to validate and promote alternatives, put money into them, and set timelines to phase out animal use in areas where alternatives are already available. A rule that only mentions replacement as a principle is decoration. You have worked on animal experimentation regulation for decades. What specific changes would you want the government to make to this draft? I don’t think this draft can be fixed. There is hardly a provision in it that doesn’t need changing, and when everything needs to change, it is better to start again. So the draft should be put aside and written afresh, this time with independent scientists, animal welfare organisations and legal experts at the table. The new rules must take India forward, not backwards. Animals already have certain protections under the law which cannot be taken away. New should be building on them.

    Orissa High Court Rules SC/ST Status Cannot Be Carried Across State Borders

    Orissa High Court Rules SC/ST Status Cannot Be Carried Across State Borders

    Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Response to Challenge Against Chhattisgarh Anti-Conversion Law

    Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Response to Challenge Against Chhattisgarh Anti-Conversion Law

    Lula’s Brazil Re-Election: What It Means for India’s Trade, Rare Earths and Global South Push

    Lula’s Brazil Re-Election: What It Means for India’s Trade, Rare Earths and Global South Push

    IAF Chief AP Singh Flies Final Sortie in Kiran Aircraft, Reunites With First Flying Instructor

    IAF Chief AP Singh Flies Final Sortie in Kiran Aircraft, Reunites With First Flying Instructor

    Rubio Backs India’s Energy Diversification, Offers US Support Amid Russian Oil Debate

    Rubio Backs India’s Energy Diversification, Offers US Support Amid Russian Oil Debate

    Trending Tags

    • Movie
    • Music
  • Trending
  • India
    • Politics
    • States
    • Elections
    • Results
  • World News
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Markets
    • Real Estate
    • Crypto
  • More
    • Entertainment
      • Bollywood
      • TV
      • Movie Reviews
      • Web Series
    • Sports
      • Cricket
      • Football
      • Games
    • Sci-Tech
      • Science
      • Tech
      • Gadgets
      • Gaming
    • Culture
      • History
      • Festivals
      • Art
      • Temples
      • Scriptures
    • Lifestyle
      • Fashion
      • Food
      • Health
      • Travel
    • Student’s Corner
      • Exam
      • Exam Results
      • Schools
      • Universities
    • Astrology
      • Daily Horoscope
      • Monthly Horoscope
      • Days
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
India Reflects
No Result
View All Result
Home Lifestyle

Sex During Pregnancy: Myths vs Facts – What Every Couple Should Know

Sex during pregnancy is often misunderstood, with many couples fearing it might harm the baby or cause complications. Experts debunk common myths and provide factual insights to help couples make informed decisions.

News Desk by News Desk
February 11, 2025
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
Sex During Pregnancy: Myths vs Facts – What Every Couple Should Know

Sex during pregnancy has long been a topic of debate, with many couples worrying about potential risks. Due to misconceptions and cultural taboos, some couples refrain from intimacy, fearing it might harm the baby or cause miscarriage. However, medical experts say otherwise.

RELATED POSTS

Maryland doctor explains why gallbladder removal is needed and how life changes after surgery

Struggling with PCOS? Nutritionist recommends 3 herbal teas to balance hormones and fight inflammation

Mouth breathing can silently damage your health: ENT expert warns of serious risks

Dr Manvi Verma, a cosmetic gynaecologist and female sexologist at Motherhood Hospital Kharghar, explains that fears surrounding sex during pregnancy often stem from misinformation. “Many believe that intercourse can harm the baby, but in a normal pregnancy, this is not true. It is crucial to create awareness so couples can make informed decisions,” she says.

She further adds that hesitation often arises due to a lack of open conversations, leading to unnecessary fear and stress. Addressing these myths can help couples navigate this phase with confidence.

The Benefits of Intimacy During Pregnancy

Dr. Verma highlights that sex during pregnancy can have several benefits, including:

  • Strengthening emotional bonding between partners
  • Reducing stress and anxiety
  • Improving sleep quality
  • Providing pain relief through endorphin release

Busting 7 Common Myths

Myth 1: Sex during pregnancy is dangerous for the baby
Fact: In a normal pregnancy, sex is safe and does not harm the baby. However, couples should follow medical guidance if there are high-risk conditions.

Myth 2: Pregnancy decreases sexual desire for all women
Fact: Libido varies. While some women experience a decline due to fatigue, others report an increase due to hormonal changes.

Myth 3: Sex increases infection risk
Fact: Good hygiene and protection minimize risks. Healthy couples with no infections are unlikely to face any issues.

Buy JNews
ADVERTISEMENT

Myth 4: Sex causes miscarriage or premature labour
Fact: For most women, sex does not trigger labour. However, those with a history of preterm labour or placenta previa should consult their doctor.

Myth 5: Certain positions should be avoided
Fact: While some positions may be uncomfortable as pregnancy progresses, most are safe. Couples should choose what feels best.

Myth 6: Orgasms can harm the baby
Fact: Orgasms are safe and can help with stress relief, pain reduction, and improved mood.

Myth 7: You must wait months after childbirth to resume intimacy
Fact: Recovery varies, but doctors typically recommend waiting around six weeks postpartum. Listening to the body is essential.

Sex during pregnancy is not only safe for most couples but also beneficial. Communication, understanding, and medical advice can help couples enjoy a healthy and fulfilling relationship throughout pregnancy. If in doubt, always consult a healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Tags: is sex safe during pregnancypregnancypregnancy mythsSex during pregnancy
Share200Tweet125
News Desk

News Desk

A passionate news person, trying to reflect her views on the recent happenings around the globe, bringing you a nuanced perspective and keeping the ethics of journalism alive in the process. My journey started in an international newsroom, where I have covered major events and been to the roots of them.  The  South-Asian region has also caught my interest, where I have covered more of the features and cultural side of the South-Asian countries. As a journalist dedicated to ethical reporting and with a personal interest in exposing hidden narratives, I aim to offer complex perspectives that enhance comprehension of the modern, globalized world.

Related Posts

Maryland doctor explains why gallbladder removal is needed and how life changes after surgery
Lifestyle

Maryland doctor explains why gallbladder removal is needed and how life changes after surgery

January 12, 2026
Struggling with PCOS? Nutritionist recommends 3 herbal teas to balance hormones and fight inflammation
Lifestyle

Struggling with PCOS? Nutritionist recommends 3 herbal teas to balance hormones and fight inflammation

January 11, 2026
Mouth breathing can silently damage your health: ENT expert warns of serious risks
Lifestyle

Mouth breathing can silently damage your health: ENT expert warns of serious risks

January 2, 2026
Worried about gaining weight during the holidays? Orthopaedic surgeon shares four practical strategies to fight it
Lifestyle

Worried about gaining weight during the holidays? Orthopaedic surgeon shares four practical strategies to fight it

December 17, 2025
Is your dog or cat getting old? Simple, science-backed ways to help them live longer and happier
Lifestyle

Is your dog or cat getting old? Simple, science-backed ways to help them live longer and happier

December 17, 2025
Struggling with mindless snacking? Fitness coach with 18 years’ experience shares 3 ways to stop
Lifestyle

Struggling with mindless snacking? Fitness coach with 18 years’ experience shares 3 ways to stop

December 16, 2025
Live Cricket Scores
en English
en Englishgu Gujaratihi Hindikn Kannadaml Malayalammr Marathipa Punjabita Tamilte Telugu

Recommended Stories

A woman removes standing water from her partially submerged house as flood water recedes at Chogal Handwara, in Kupwara district of North Kashmir

Rain Clouds Hang Over Momentous J&K Polls

May 1, 2024
PM Modi Oath Ceremony

“PM Narendra Modi Sworn in for Historic Third Term Amidst Grand Ceremonial Splendor”

June 12, 2024
"Japan's Prime Minister Vows 'Ceaseless' Aid Amidst Snowfall Hindering Earthquake Relief Efforts"

“Japan’s Prime Minister Vows ‘Ceaseless’ Aid Amidst Snowfall Hindering Earthquake Relief Efforts”

January 7, 2024

Popular Stories

  • Incredible Health Benefits of Walking 5,000 Steps a Day

    Incredible Health Benefits of Walking 5,000 Steps a Day

    823 shares
    Share 329 Tweet 206

  • Jeet Adani Asks Anupam Mittal To Remove His Shaadi.com Profile Days Before Wedding To Diva Shah

    596 shares
    Share 238 Tweet 149

  • UK Welcomes PM Modi – Wembley Stadium

    557 shares
    Share 223 Tweet 139

  • Mangalyaan: India’s Mars Orbiter craft quietly bids goodbye

    532 shares
    Share 213 Tweet 133

  • “Vikram Vedha”; 15 cities receive live broadcasts of the song

    530 shares
    Share 212 Tweet 133
India Reflects

India Reflects

India's first truly global news portal brings you unbiased news based on facts from India and around the World.

Recent Posts

  • New rules on animal testing must take India forward, not backwards: Maneka Gandhi Officials maintain the changes seek to simplify approvals for research institutions, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Updated on: Oct 26, 2026, 14:54:47 IST By Jasjeev Gandhiok Prefer HTPrefer HT Prefer HT on Google Share The Centre’s draft rules governing animal experimentation have triggered concerns among animal rights groups, which say the changes could weaken independent oversight and make it easier for laboratories to conduct experiments on animals. However, officials maintain the changes seek to simplify approvals for research institutions, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Former Union minister Maneka Gandhi. Former Union minister Maneka Gandhi. HT speaks to animal rights activist and former Union minister Maneka Gandhi, a long-time campaigner against animal experimentation. Edited excerpts: A major change to animal experimentation, proposed in the draft, is that mild and moderate experiments could be approved by an institution’s own ethics committee rather than going to the central regulator. In practical terms, what does this change mean for an animal inside a laboratory? Does it make it easier for more animals to be experimented on? It means the animal loses the one independent pair of eyes that was looking at its fate. Today, experiments on animals larger than a rat go to the central regulator, and there is at least someone outside the building asking whether this experiment is necessary at all. Under the draft, the people who want to do the experiment, their colleagues and their department heads will be the ones approving it. And it is the institution itself, through its own veterinarian, that decides whether the experiment is mild or moderate in the first place. No institution has ever turned down its own funding. So yes, it will make it easier, and it will make it faster, and that means more animals. Mild and moderate are also the bulk of experiments, so we are effectively handing over most of animal experimentation in India to self regulation. The draft classifies experiments as mild, moderate, severe and non-recovery. Is there a concern that the institution conducting the research will effectively decide how severe the experiment is. Does this leave a grey area? It isn’t grey, it is completely black. Under this draft, the institution that wants to do the experiment is also the one that decides which category it falls into. That decision matters enormously, because if the experiment is classified as mild or moderate, the institution’s own committee approves it and it never goes to the central regulator. Only severe and non-recovery experiments on larger animals go outside. So the same people who want the experiment approved are deciding whether anyone independent will ever examine it. That is a clear conflict of interest, and it will push experiments towards the lower categories. Starving a rat for a day is called mild. Keeping a social animal alone in a cage is mild. Starving it for two days, or putting it through distress it cannot escape, is moderate. So is testing herbal products, testing established drugs, and anything described as having “known and reversible effects,” which could mean almost anything. This is not a scientific list. It is the most common commercial work. The draft also creates exceptions and allows laboratories to use animals from open markets, unregistered sources, and in certain circumstances, stray, feral, wild and protected animals. What is the biggest risk that this may create for animals in practice? Could community dogs, lost pets or animals taken from the wild find their way into laboratories? The biggest risk is that nobody will know where an animal came from. The whole point of registered breeders was traceability. Once you allow open markets and unregistered sources for cattle, goats, birds and fish, you create a demand, and in this country demand is met very quickly by people who will pick up anything. Strays and wild animals can be used if a “competent authority” permits it, and the draft never says who that is. Community dogs, someone’s lost pet, birds from illegal markets, all of it can find its way into a laboratory. These exceptions should be removed completely. If a lab cannot get an animal from a registered source, it should not be doing that experiment. The draft formally incorporates the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement, but critics say these safeguards become weaker if institutions themselves are approving experiments. Do you believe India should now be moving towards replacing animal experiments altogether, particularly when the health ministry has already allowed certain drug testing through non-animal methods? What should the rules do differently? Yes, and we are not starting from zero. The health ministry has already amended the drug rules to accept non-animal methods. The world is moving this way because these methods are often more predictive for humans than a mouse ever was. Writing replacement, reduction and refinement into the rules means nothing if the person checking compliance is the institution itself. The rules should make it mandatory to show that no validated alternative exists before an animal is used, set up a national body to validate and promote alternatives, put money into them, and set timelines to phase out animal use in areas where alternatives are already available. A rule that only mentions replacement as a principle is decoration. You have worked on animal experimentation regulation for decades. What specific changes would you want the government to make to this draft? I don’t think this draft can be fixed. There is hardly a provision in it that doesn’t need changing, and when everything needs to change, it is better to start again. So the draft should be put aside and written afresh, this time with independent scientists, animal welfare organisations and legal experts at the table. The new rules must take India forward, not backwards. Animals already have certain protections under the law which cannot be taken away. New should be building on them.
  • Orissa High Court Rules SC/ST Status Cannot Be Carried Across State Borders
  • Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Response to Challenge Against Chhattisgarh Anti-Conversion Law
  • Lula’s Brazil Re-Election: What It Means for India’s Trade, Rare Earths and Global South Push
  • IAF Chief AP Singh Flies Final Sortie in Kiran Aircraft, Reunites With First Flying Instructor

Categories

  • Art
  • Bollywood
  • Business
  • Cricket
  • Crypto
  • Culture
  • Daily Horoscope
  • Economy
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Fashion
  • Gaming
  • Health
  • History
  • India
  • Lifestyle
  • Movie Reviews
  • Photos
  • Politics
  • Sci-Tech
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Trending
  • TV
  • Uncategorized
  • Web Series
  • World News

Policy Pages

Privacy Policy

Copyright Policy

Terms Of Use

Disclaimer

Code of Ethics

Copyright © 2022 India Reflects - India Reflects Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • India
    • Politics
    • States
    • Elections
    • Results
  • World News
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Markets
    • Real Estate
    • Crypto
  • Entertainment
    • Bollywood
    • TV
    • Movie Reviews
    • Web Series
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • Games
  • Sci-Tech
    • Science
    • Tech
    • Gadgets
    • Gaming
  • Culture
    • History
    • Festivals
    • Art
    • Temples
    • Scriptures
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Health
    • Travel
  • Student’s Corner
    • Exam
    • Exam Results
    • Schools
    • Universities
  • Astrology
    • Daily Horoscope
    • Monthly Horoscope
    • Days
  • Opinion

Copyright © 2022 India Reflects - India Reflects Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist