Pregnant women asked to stop using black medicine

Tamale, Feb. 12, GNA - Expectant mothers in the Northern Region have been advised to desist from the use of “kaligutim”, a traditional black substance used to facilitate delivery.The “Kaligutim” is the local name of the mixture of some special selected leaves, prepared and given to pregnant women to insert into their private parts with the notion that it would facilitate safe delivery.The substance, which is normally mixed with porridge, tea or soup, is given to a pregnant woman in her third trimester to hasten delivery.Zangbalum- Bomahe Naa Alhassan Issahaku Amadu, Regional Director of the National Population Council, told the Ghana News Agency in Tamale that, in the past the mixture was used as a medicine to moderately aid the opening of a woman’s cervix to facilitate smooth delivery.“It was used in the olden days when midwives’ services were not common. Now such medicine has outlived its usefulness because there are many modern drugs and services at the disposal of expectant mothers,” he said.According to Zangbalum-Bomahe Amadu, most women during those days refused to have sexual intercourse with their husbands during the period of their pregnancy, which led to the closure of their cervix; adding that, the “kaligutim” medicine was administered to the women to open the birth channel for the easily passage of the baby when the time was due.“Now women don’t need to use such a method again due to its abuse and the danger it poses to the fetus. Once the cervix is opened any substance and bacteria can enter and disturb the unborn baby. The baby could be born with a serious deformity as well as mental disorder”, he explained.He said, “The powerful nature of the medicine could cause wear and tear that often resulted in internal bleeding and the woman can die.”Due to its strong nature, he said the medicine was often prepared in the farm because a pregnant woman in her first trimester could have a miscarriage by just inhaling its scent.Zangbalum-Bomahe Amadu also cautioned women to stop using the substance to terminate unwanted pregnancies and called for the broadening of the current sensitization by Northern Sector Action on Awareness (NORSAAC), an NGO on Star Ghana maternal health project to educate women on its negative effect.Some people the GNA interviewed however, insisted that the medicine was very useful and that no modern medicine could match its efficacy.Mr Suleman Imoro, a resident of Tamale and a father of two said the medicine saved his wife from undergoing a caesarian operation a year ago.“We attended antenatal for almost ten months and there were no signs of delivery so one doctor recommended caesarian operation, which I was afraid. I consulted some relatives and they gave me “kaligutim” medicine and on the second day she took the medicine and she delivered safely,” he said.GNA Read Full Story