I am three months pregnant with my first child. Being new to this, I try to get as much information as I can, mostly from friends and relatives who have had children. Recently, some friends were over at my place and we started talking about child birth.

They told me about a certain traditional herb or whatever that will ease labour. I have heard that some women are cut or even tear and have to be stitched during child birth and my friends assure me that this local medicine will help me avoid that.

One friend going to Uganda insists that she will bring it for me but I am not too keen on it. Can’t these local herbs be a danger to my unborn baby? What can you recommend that will help me avoid stitches?

Rebecca, 30

Dear Rebecca,

Child birth is one of the most unique pleasurable experiences in life of a woman. The joy of having a new baby in your arms often makes you forget the labour pains.

Pain during labour occurs due to contractions of the uterus in a bid to put out the baby. A full bladder or colon, stiff joints, mental or physical stress, nutrient deficiency, all add to the pain. The duration and intensity of pain varies from person to person.

Cutting part of the perineal muscle just before delivery, known as episiotomy, was done routinely in many parts of the world before, but now its use has declined. It is used to prevent tears of the perineal muscle or vagina where perineal muscles are tight (mostly at first child birth) or if the baby is very large or descending very quickly, or is stuck at the shoulder. In situations where normal labour seems difficult but not enough to do a caesarean section, episiotomy is done to facilitate the passage of baby and avoid trauma to the mother’s perineum. Whenever done, a local anesthetic agent is always used to prevent pain and afterwards it is stitched with due antiseptic precautions.

Taking a well balanced nutritious diet during labour helps to strengthen the body muscles and tissues, easing labour pains. Consumption of large amounts of fresh green vegetables, fruits is not only useful to supply necessary iron and vitamins, it also aids in cleansing the bowels. Thus one factor contributing to pain and discomfort is taken care of.

 Regular aerobic exercises during pregnancy are very useful which aid in release of endorphins in large quantities, which are natural chemicals to reduce pain. Brisk walking, yoga, light jogging, e.t.c. any one of these exercises should be done regularly as per the physical capacity of a woman. However, lifting heavy weights and strenuous physical work should be avoided.

Herbs have been used for ages for labour pains in almost all communities of the world. Their use is based on local availability and experience passed on from one generation to another.  Few have been scrutinized by scientific research and their benefits are well established. But many have not been researched in to.  Many herbal preparations are also known to be toxic to liver and kidneys, some can cause miscarriage. Your friend has not specified the name of the herb.

If pregnancy is normal and progressing without problems, one can try herbs provided it is sure to be safe for both mother and child. But in case of a high risk pregnancy like pregnancy at a late age or some associated complication, it is better to go as per a doctor’s advice only.

Dr. Rachna is a specialist in internal medicine at Ruhengeri Hopsital