Effect of Processing Methods On The Chemical Composition and Antioxidants Potentials of Structium Sparejanophora (Ewuro-Odo) and Vernonia Amygdalina (Ewuro).

The fresh leaves of Structium sparejanophora and Vernonia amygdalina were subjected to different local food processing methods such assoaking, blanching, and abrasion with or without salt prior to sun-drying. The proximate, antinutrient, mineral, vitamin C and total phenolcontent were subsequently determined. The results of the analysis shows that the unprocessed vegetables has 2.1 % crude fibre, 9.8 % protein, 18.0 ppm Mn, 90 ppm Fe, 700 ppm Ca, 290 ppmMg, 465 mg/100g phytate, 13.0 mg/100g oxalate, 45 mg/100g vitamin C and 0.2 g/100g total phenol for Structium sparejanophora and 1.5 % crude fibre, 6.95 % protein, 20.0 ppm Mn, 75.0 ppm Fe, 800 ppm Ca, 300 ppm Mg, 400 mg/100g phytate, 12.0 mg/100g oxalate, 44 mg/100g vitaminC and 0.3 g/100g total phenol for Vernonia amygdalina. However, the various local food processing methods cause significant decreases (P< 0.05) in the nutrients, antinutrients and vitamin C contents while they cause significant increases (P< 0.05) inthe total phenol contents of the two vegetables. The leaves of Structium sparejanophora and Vernonia amygdalina should be better sun driedwithout processing so as to retain the nutrients and antioxidants present in them

Postpartum Sexual Abstinence and Breastfeeding Pattern in Sagamu, Nigeria

This was a prospective study involving 371 mothers. The mean age of the mothers was 27.5 (.3.6) years with a mean years at school (Educational years) of 11.3 (2.9) years. All the mothers had previously breastfed at one of their infants for at least 6 months, while the mothers also breastfed their last child for an average (mean) of 10.3 (4.0) months. The overall mean of previous live births was 1.9 (0.8). In the first month postpartum, 84.6% of the mothers abstained from sexual intercourse, but by the 4th-5th month the proportion had dropped to 18.1%, with just 2.1% of the study population abstaining from sexual intercourse at 11-15 months post-partum. Forty seven (13.5%), 30 (8.6% ) and 3 (0.9 % ) mothers in social classes 2,3 and 1 respectively have resumed sexual intercourse at 4-5 months, while only 12(3.4%) and 4(1.1%) in social classes 2 and 3 respectively continued with sexual intercourse at 11-15 months. More mothers resumed sexual intercourse from 1 to 15 months post-partum when they breast fed for 6-10 minutes and 11-15 minutes than those who breast fed for 1-5 minutes, 16-20 minutes and 21-25 minutes. Also more mothers within the 25-29 years age group resumed sexual intercourse from the first month to the fifteenth month post-partum than mothers in the other age groupsKeywords: Postpartum, Sexual, Abstinence, Breastfeeding, Sexually Transmitted InfectionsAfrican Journal of Reproductive Health Vol. 12 (1) 2008: pp. 96-10