CONSTIPATION IN PREGNANCY AND THE EFFECT OF VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION IN DIFFERENT SOCIO–ECONOMIC CLASS IN WARRI, DELTA STATE

Anthony E Ojieh

Department of Physiology

Delta State University, Abraka

E-mail: tonniojie@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Constipation is one of the most common complaints in pregnancy, and there can be many causes of pregnancy constipation. When a woman is pregnant, her body goes through a drastic hormonal change and she may become constipated very early in pregnancy (Anderson, 1984; Philip and Stuart, 2000). Another reason for pregnancy constipation is that during pregnancy the body tends to retain water which leads to harder and drier bowel content, thus resulting in constipation during pregnancy (Johansson, et al., 1989; Ashraf, et al., 1994). This research study was undertaken to establish by percentage the prevalence of constipation amongst pregnant women in Warri, Delta State, comparing prevalence of constipation between the upper class, middle class and lower class socio – economic pregnant women, as well as determining the effect of vegetable consumption on pregnancy constipation. The study was conducted using questionnaires. Constipation was determined based on the Rome I criteria for diagnosis of constipation, the criteria include straining during defecation, passage of hard stool, and sensation of blockage in the anus that makes it difficult to pass stool. Vegetable consumption rate was determined based on the frequency of vegetable consumption per week. The common vegetable consumed are pumpkin leaf (Telfairia Occidentalis), Afang (Gnetum Africanus), Water leaf (Hydrophyllum Virginianum) and Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus).Two hundred (200) subjects were studied in each class. The result gotten from analysis of the questionnaires showed a prevalence of 30.00%, 32.50% and 35.50% for upper class, middle class and lower class of pregnant women respectively. The average prevalence of constipation amongst the pregnant women was found to be 32.67%. The rate of vegetable consumption amongst the upper class, middle class and lower class pregnant women was 56.50%, 50.00% and 52.50% respectively. The findings from the questionnaires analysis is indicative of the fact that commonly available vegetables in Nigeria like, Okro, Afang, Water leaf and Pumpkin are capable of improving peristaltic activity in the gut, thereby reducing the possibility of constipation in pregnancy.

KEY WORDS: Constipation, Pregnancy, Vegetable, Socio-economic class.