The Culture of Herbal Preparations Among Pregnant Women: A Remedy or a Suicide Potion? A Case Report and Mini Review.

In general, use of herbal remedies and preparations is on the ascendency in recent times among the general population and especially in young pregnant women, and this may be very dangerous due to adverse effects and interactions with drugs. A survey by the World Health Organization revealed that 70-80% of the world population resort to nonconventional medicines especially, herbal medicines in their primary healthcare. A lot of work has been done on the positive effects of herbs on the human body but very few publications on the potential side effects of consuming crude herbal preparations especially among pregnant women or the awareness of the medical team of this problem. Herbal remedies may come with many adverse effects and potentially serious interactions with some conventional medications. However, little is known about the dangers associated with consumption of herbal remedies by pregnant patients. Herbal medicines like their orthodox counterparts act through some mechanisms to bring about their curative effects in the body, and this usually goes out of order when these remedies interact with chemical drugs as a result of a combination of both by the victims. This is a case study to review the use of herbal medicine products among pregnant women, especially adolescent girls for abortive purposes, and also attempts to discuss some of the dangers associated with the use of herbal medicinal products together with conventional drugs during pregnancy.

Menarcheal and pubertal development and determining factors among schoolgirls in Kumasi, Ghana.

To determine menarcheal and pubertal ages and possible factors responsible for current pubertal trends in Kumasi, Ghana, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 720 urban and rural Kumasi 7-17-year-old schoolgirls and their mothers in 2008. Heights and weights were measured and additional information obtained by survey. Mantel-Haenzsel, χ(2), ordered logistic regression and probit analyses were used to analyse the data collected. With 40.42% menarcheal prevalence, median menarcheal ages were significantly different: 12.37 ± 1.48 years urban and 13.41 ± 2.25 years rural; 12.89 ± 1.93 years, overall. Obesity (OR = 2.57; p = 0.033) and high socioeconomic status (OR = 2.12; p = 0.008) were predictors of early menarche, while a younger mother was protective against early menarche (OR = 0.32; p = 0.039). Age at menarche among Kumasi schoolgirls has dropped 0.76 years since it was last determined among similarly aged girls in 1986, declining at a rate of about 0.32 years/decade. The predicting factors provide an important opportunity for intervention through school curricula and targeted education of adolescents.

Awareness and Perceptions of and Attitudes towards Caesarean Delivery among Antenatal.

BACKGROUND: Caesarean section (CS) rates have been increasing steadily globally. The safety of the procedure has resulted in some women requesting it in the absence of any medical indication, particularly in the developed countries. OBJECTIVES: To determine the awareness and perceptions of and attitudes towards caesarean delivery among antenatal clinic (ANC) attendants in a Ghanaian teaching hospital. DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional study. SETTING: The ANC of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi, Ghana. METHODS: A 13-point structured questionnaire containing items on demographic characteristics and assessment of knowledge of, perceptions and attitudes towards caesarean delivery was administered to women attending the hospital's antenatal clinic from 1(st) December to 31(st) December, 2006. RESULTS: Of 317 women interviewed 304 (96%) had heard of the operation; however only 43 (13.5%) could mention specific indications for it. Vaginal delivery was preferred by 296 (93.3%) while 11 (3.5%) preferred planned caesarean delivery; the remaining 10 (3.2%) were undecided. Although 164 (51.7%) perceived it as being dangerous to the mother and baby, 287 (90.5%) were willing to undergo the operation when indicated; 19 (6%) would refuse the operation even when indicated. Almost all the women, 311 (98.1%), wanted caesarean section to be part of client education at the antenatal clinic and 314 (99.1%) wanted to be informed about the specific indication before surgery. CONCLUSION: There is a high level of awareness of caesarean delivery among ANC attendants at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Client education is necessary to address some concerns on safety of and indications for the operation.