Where, when and what type of alcohol do pregnant women drink?

Background: Drinking alcohol in pregnancy is of a serious public health concern worldwide. Previous study in the Bosomtwe district put the prevalence of women drinking alcohol in pregnancy as 20.4%.Objectives: To describe the alcohol drinking behaviour of pregnant women in the Bosomtwe district of Ghana.Design: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional, conducted among 397 pregnant women who attended ANC in 2010.Method: The study was conducted in all the 10 health facilities providing reproductive health care in the Bosomtwe district using administered questionnaires.Results: The main findings of the study were that 20.4% of pregnant women drank alcoholic beverage of which the most preferred drink was Akpeteshie (36.4%), a locally brewed or distilled alcoholic beverage followed by the liqueurs (Ginseng, Kasapreko or-Pusher - 27.3%. Study participants drank an average of ‘half-tot’ (15 mls) of akpeteshie and ‘one-tot’- 30mls of liqueurs per a drinking session respectively. Theyusually drank at home and before meals. The 25-29 year group  26(32.1%), married 50(61.7%) and Junior High School educated 37(45.7%) as well as christians 69(85.0%) and traders 28(34.6%) drank most.Conclusions: The findings identified akpeteshie as the most preferred alcoholic beverage among pregnant women in the district. It is  recommended that the health authority creates awareness of the existence of the problem of alcohol drinking in pregnancy and its potential effects on the foetus.Key Words: Reproductive years, Alcohol consumption, Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, Ghana, Women, Akpeteshi

Type of herbal medicines utilized by pregnant women attending ante-natal clinic in Offinso north district: Are orthodox prescribers aware?

Background: There is scanty data on the usage and safety of herbal medicines in pregnancy and breast feeding. Though they may be efficacious on account of their long experience of usage, effects of these herbal preparations and the extent of usage in pregnancy and breastfeeding are not known. There were anecdotal claims of herbal medicine usage in pregnancy in Offinso North District.Objective: To determine the prevalence and the pattern of herbal medicine usage among pregnant women attending ANC in all the health facilities in Offinso North District and to determine the level of awareness of healthcare givers about these herbal medicines.Design: Cross-sectional study.Method: A standardized structured questionnaire was administered to pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in the Offinso North district.Results: Age of respondents ranged from 15-49 years among which 25 (6.5%) took herbal medicines through varying routes of administration. High usage was found amongst those married and also with no formal and basic education and a median age of 25 years. Awareness of orthodox health practitioners about these herbal medicines was scanty.Conclusions: The study emphasized the use of herbal medicines particularly through some unconventional mode of preparations by pregnant women in Offinso North. Orthodox practitioners' awareness of their usage was found to be inadequate, highlighting an urgent need for health care practitioners and other health care givers to be aware of this practice and make efforts in obtaining information about herb use during ante-natal care.Key Words: Herbal Medicines; Pregnancy; Ghana, Sub-Saharan Africa

Effectiveness And Safety Assessment Of Mist tonica, A Herbal Haematinic

Anaemia is a widespread public health problem, and in Ghana it is the fourth leading cause of hospital admissions and the second factor contributing to death. Mist Tonica, an herbal haematinic produced by the Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRPM), Ghana, was assessed for its effectiveness and safety in humans after Ethics Committee approval. Clinically established anaemic-patients aged, 13 years and above, with haemoglobin levels less than 11.5 g/dl and 13.5g/dl for females and males respectively were treated with Mist tonica, 8.96 g/ 40 mls three times daily for two weeks . The mean haemoglobin rise per week caused by Mist Tonica was 1.92 (0.76) g/dl, range (1.66 - 2.55) g/dl/week and over 88 % of the patients on Mist Tonica had their appetite for food improved. Haematological profile, liver and kidney functions were not adversely affected by Mist tonica. Results of the study suggest that Mist Tonica is an effective and safe herbal haematinic. Keywords: Anaemia, haemoglobin, herbal, haematinic, safety, effectivenessAfr. Jnl of Trad Comp Alt medicine Vol. 5 (2) 2008: pp. 115-11