Women
Avoiding Excessive Bleeding At Childbirth
Obstetricians and
gynaecologists warn that women can suffer excessive bleeding after childbirth in some cases that can result in death if not checked fast.
They note that the affected women can lose as much as 500 ml or more within 24 hours during childbirth, observing that such development has been identified as one of the causes of maternal deaths globally.
According to them, affected women feel unwell, faint and dizzy, among other indications, while some of them may become unconscious.
They also observe that some women, in some instances, know about the possibility of bleeding after childbirth and prepare for the challenge.
Medical experts, nonetheless, opine that women, who are aware of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) —bleeding after childbirth — are often frightened about the amount of blood they will lose and become apprehensive.
They identify failure of the womb to contract properly after the baby is born, problems with the placenta and prolonged labour as major causes of bleeding after childbirth.
Considering its implications, Dr Maureen Ume, a gynaecologist with the National Hospital Abuja, solicited proper sensitisation of women to issues on childbirth and bleeding.
She said that excessive bleeding during delivery had remained the commonest cause of more than 25 per cent of maternal death, especially in developing countries such as Nigeria.
According to her, there is primary and secondary haemorrhage but the commonest is the former.
“Once the excessive blood loss is beyond 24 hours it is called secondary haemorrhage and if it is properly managed, it will not result in death,’’ he said.
Ume observed that poor ante-natal care was another predisposing factor to excessive bleeding after childbirth, saying that many women might induce prolonged labour by preferring to give birth at home.
“Being in labour for some days before childbirth means you have been contracting the womb for long, so after giving birth, the uterus (womb) will be weak.
“By the time she gets to the hospital, it might be too late for her survival because she must have lost much blood,” she noted.
Apart from giving preference to giving birth to child at home by some women, Ume said many women had also cultivated the habits of seeking spiritual solution in prayer houses when they were directed to undergo caesarian operation.
“With this habit, sometimes, such women become anaemic and by the time they are brought to hospital, it may be difficult to save their lives,’’ she said.
She cautioned against the use of labour-induced drugs, noting that such drugs had been linked to secondary haemorrhage.
She urged expectant mothers to register for ante-natal clinic early enough, insisting that it would enable the obstetricians to detect women who were at risk of excessive bleeding at childbirth.
She also stressed the need for availability of quality and safe blood to save lives of women that suffered excessive bleeding at childbirth.
Ume insisted that providing access to quality education for females would also drastically reduce ignorance about sex related developments among Nigerian women.
“We are in a country whereby most of our women are not educated, their ante-natal care is poor, and they can labour for days at home,’’ she noted.
She also observed those women with multiple gestations (conceptions) and those who had had five or more previous pregnancies, were inclined to experience PPH.
She, therefore, advised couples to go for family planning as it could play a role in tackling postpartum haemorrhage.
She said that expectant mothers could prevent excessive bleeding after childbirth if they sought proper ante-natal attention at conception.
“Most of our women are dying because of inadequate ante-natal care, during ante-natal clinics, these women are supposed to be identified.
The gynaecologist also said that authorities should ensure that there was adequate supply of blood to maternity centres, expressing concern about deaths that occurred due to scarcity of blood.
She called on Nigerians to imbibe the habit of donating blood, saying that it would go a long way to save the lives of women that bled after childbirth.
Suggesting other precautions, Dr Joy Okwuogori, a gynaecologist, advised that women, who were at risk of excessive bleeding after childbirth, should be identified for the purpose of planning for their delivery dates.
In the same vein, Dr Nathaniel Adewole, a gynaecologist with the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, said that PPH could be prevented early if women gave birth in good hospitals.
According to him, giving birth in registered healthcare centres would enable the doctors to give necessary medical attention to prevent excess bleeding.
“When it comes to somebody who has the tendency to bleed, steps are taken to ensure that it is prevented and for those who still bleed, we look for the cause and control it fast.
By and large, medical experts insist that appropriate authorities must educate pregnant women on the importance of giving birth in good healthcare centres rather than their homes or prayer houses.
Sharang writes for News Agency of Nigeria.
Naomi Sharang
Pregnant women in postnatal class
IVY-K Fashion by Igiebor Daddy Lucky, a Nigerian-born designer now based in the UK, has launched the latest menswear line, Dapper Man.
One of the collection’s strengths is its classic, clean aesthetic. Dapper Man delivers sharp, structured suits in a timeless black and white color scheme that exudes a sense of luxury and professionalism. The use of high-quality fabrics like wool and silk ensures that the suits not only look high-end but also feel luxurious to the wearer. The designer’s focus on detail is evident in the meticulous tailoring, with fitted blazers and crisp trousers forming the foundation of the collection.
Where IVY-K Fashion shines is in the subtle yet elegant touches. The inclusion of beads as embellishments on lapels and cuffs adds a unique flair, blending traditional craft with modern tailoring. This nod to African heritage gives the collection a distinct identity, offering something more personal and culturally significant than your standard menswear line.
However, despite the elegance of the Dapper Man collection, there is a lingering sense of missed opportunity. The black-and-white color palette, while classic, feels overly safe. In a fashion landscape where bold colors and daring patterns often make the strongest impact, the collection could benefit from incorporating more vibrant hues or experimenting with unconventional fabrics. Pushing the envelope with color or texture could elevate these designs from simply elegant to truly memorable.
In addition, while the tailoring of the blazers and trousers is immaculate, the collection lacks a sense of playfulness or modern edge that many contemporary menswear lines are embracing. The suits are undoubtedly stylish, but the collection as a whole leans heavily on tradition. Experimenting with asymmetrical cuts, bold patterns, or even layering could add an exciting dimension to Dapper Man. The challenge is to maintain the sleek sophistication of the collection while infusing it with a fresh, innovative spirit.
Another area that could use improvement is the overall cohesion of the collection. While the suits are well-crafted, there is a feeling of repetition across the pieces. More variation in design, such as different lapel styles, pocket configurations, or even bolder accessories, would give the collection greater diversity and visual interest.
In conclusion, Dapper Man by Igiebor Daddy Lucky showcases the designer’s strong grasp of classic tailoring and elegant design, but to truly capture the attention of a broader audience, IVY-K Fashion would benefit from more daring choices. By infusing the collection with bold colors, unexpected textures, and a more modern edge, Dapper Man could move from a well-crafted line to a trendsetting force in men’s fashion. With such a solid foundation, there’s no doubt that Igiebor Daddy Lucky has the potential to lead his brand toward greater heights
The trend of indecent dressing all in the name of fashion is fast becoming a norm in our generation and society at large. Most married women embrace this fashion as competition with single ladies.
Different scholars have given an in depth insight about dressing as a tool of communication. Non-verbal communication has been asserted as the communication between people by the means of signs or symbols. It conveys what we wish to disseminate to the public as either intentionally or not.
According to Paul Ekman and Michael Argyle, communication is carried out through what has been classified as “Presentational Code”. He listed nine codes of non-verbal communication, as body contact, facial expression, gestures, postures, eye movement, proximity, orientation, head nods and appearance.
This, being stated, married and single ladies should understand that their mode of dressing is communicative be it directly or indirectly as such body parts we call “private” are now being made public because of the trends or wearing of transparent dresses and this in turn calls on the attention of men who are weak and prone to illicit thoughts thus, resulting to most rape cases in our society.
This indecent dressing by most ladies has denied many their future husbands. The truth is that a man is attracted to his kind; his desires in marriage. It is often asserted that decency and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder, yet, in trending times of this 21st century, dress code and fashion in nudity form is gaining popularity.
This has become complicated as most men tend to toggle between their emotions (lust) and sanity (rationality) in terms of marriage, thereby setting a wrong foundation upon which most marriages are consummated.
On the other hand, most married women have embraced the trend of indecent dressing nipping it on the state of it being the choice dressing, approved by their spouses, leaving society with the question of what “responsible” man would prefer that the secrecy of the benefit of his marital vow has become the centre of attraction and viewership by the general public.
Hence, communicating with their dressing gas given licence to every male gender who is interested or attracted to what they see to make unsolicited sexual passes at them, which might be considered embarrassing.
At this juncture, it is important to state that ladies should dress decently knowing that they are the epitome of nation-building, they are nation-builders, character moulders and pacesetters not just in the lives of their families but to the society at large.
In most occasions, there are no clear border lines between the married women and the single ladies because of the rate of scanty dressing which has close the gap of differences.
Women and girls should embrace this call awakening to decent mode of dressing. Dresses that are meant to be worn indoors should remain indoors.
It is worrisome to see ladies wear shorts that are supposed to be worn in the living room on the streets without shame. This is an awakening call to our ladies, married and singles that the opposite sex do not expose their private body parts for the public. Sometimes, the ladies go about in the streets without wearing brazziers as to showcase their nipples.
The society should be sanitised of the menace of indecent dressing that is lurking and taking over the entire nooks and crannies of the society and the nation at large.
Let it be known that he or she is addressed in the manner he or she is dressed. There may be no room for a second impression. To the single ladies, your dressing decently will not stop you from meeting your Mr Right rather, it will increase your stake and place you on the list of most valued women in the society.
Dressing speaks louder than words.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha is an OND final year student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.
