Ose Etiobhio debunks pepper soup childbirth myth

Dr Ose Etiobhio, a Nigerian-born obstetrician and AI innovator based in Canada, has issued a powerful call to dispel a cherished postpartum tradition: the belief that hot pepper soup “flushes” blood clots after childbirth.

His clarion message blends cultural respect with medical precision, urging new mothers to prioritize science over sentiment to safeguard their recovery.

Dr Etiobhio, armed with an MBBS and MRCOG/MRCPI qualifications in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, holds a unique perch as CEO of Magnum Arts and Founder of ROBSTS, driving tech-infused healthcare solutions.

Named among the Top 150 AI Executives and a Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur, his voice carries weight.

Ose Etiobhio debunks the notion that spicy broths like Nigeria’s pepper soup; rich with peppers, ginger, and proteins, can expel postpartum blood clots.

“Pepper soup restores warmth. But the womb restores itself not by pepper, but by contraction,” he wrote.

The uterus, through lochia (a natural discharge of blood and tissue), cleanses itself via contractions, not culinary heat. Clots signal trouble, often uterine atony, where the womb fails to firm up, risking hemorrhage.

Medical science, he stressed, relies on oxytocin or misoprostol to spur contractions, alongside vigilant checks for infection or anemia.

Pepper soup’s real perks; iron to fight blood loss, warmth to ease digestion, and communal comfort; are undeniable but no substitute for clinical care.

“Culture comforts and medicine protects,” he urged, highlighting the delicate balance where both thrive.

His message resonates amid Nigeria’s high maternal mortality rates, where myths can delay critical intervention.

Etiobhio’s call isn’t to shun pepper soup’s nourishing embrace but to pair it with science.

For new mothers, this clarity could be lifesaving, ensuring recovery rests on truth, not folklore.

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