Prevalence And Microscopic Study Of The Herbs Used In Pregnancy

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Date
2011-06
Authors
Law, Kim Sooi
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Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
The use of herbal medicine is common in Malaysia including its use during pregnancy. However, there have been very few formal studies of herbal consumption in pregnancy and even fewer looking at ultra-structural features and trace elements of herbal medicine. This study was to determine the prevalence of use and to identify possible chemical properties and morphological structure of herbal medicine found to be popularly used among the Kelantanese Malay women during the pregnancy period. A study was conducted among 460 Kelantanese Malay women at antenatal and postnatal ward Hospital USM from September to December 2007 using structured close-ended questionnaires. The surface morphology and the microstructure of Anastatica Hierochuntica L. were captured by Supra 50 VPSE-SEM LEO and Olympus SZ40 Stereomicroscope with image analyzer. Elemental analysis was done by using Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX). Of these 460 women, 55.7% were housewives, 61% had attended secondary education, 85% were aged between 21 to 40 years and 57.2% were para 2 to 5. Herbal medicine used during pregnancy was 34.3% while 73% utilized herbal in labor because in the belief that it can shorten labor and makes labor easier. The most commonly used herbal medicine in pregnancy was Anastatica Hierochuntica L. (Sanggul Fatimah) (60.1%) followed by coconut oil (35.4%) and herbs prepared by traditional midwives (6.3%). The majority of women (89.2%) used only one type of herbal medicine and took it when necessary (53.2%) with one capsule/glass (38%) per day. Herbal medicines used by pregnant women were commonly unsupervised (81%), with most women getting information from their parents (60.7%) and buying the products directly from traditional midwifes (32.2%) and 77% agreed upon its efficacy and safety. Anastatica Hierochuntica L. structures were viewed under VPSEM and were discussed. Micro diffraction analysis (EDX) of the herb revealed inert significant presence of useful mineral such as magnesium, aluminium, potassium, zinc, iron and calcium as well as elements like carbon, oxygen, silica. Herbal medicine is still being commonly used among the Malay Kelantanese women communities. A detailed study is therefore needed to establish among others, the efficacy and safety of these herbs where the well-being of mother and fetus are of paramount.
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Prevalence and microscopic study of the , herbs used in pregnancy
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