Scientists have found that eating okra during pregnancy won't make giving birth easier.

 Scientists have found that eating okra during pregnancy won't make giving birth easier. Health experts have debunked the idea that eati...

 Scientists have found that eating okra during pregnancy won't make giving birth easier.

Health experts have debunked the idea that eating or drinking okra or okra water, especially in a woman's last stage of pregnancy, could make it easier for her to go into labour and give birth.

Experts say that the idea that okra can help a woman have an easy birth is a myth because there has been no scientific proof that it can help a woman have an easy birth.

In separate talks with PUNCH HealthWise, Dr. Stanley Egbogu, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, and Mrs. Yemisi Solanke-Lawal, a registered nutritionist, said that the idea that okra can make giving birth easier is not true.

Okra, on the other hand, is one of many veggies that are good for your health in many ways.

A site for women's health called birthingbalance.com says that okra has a lot of folate, which is the natural form of vitamin B9 that dissolves in water and is found in many foods. It does not, however, have any folic acid.

It said that one serving of okra gives 15% of a woman's daily folate needs. With other folate-rich foods and the required prenatal vitamin, a woman should get enough of this vitamin.

Nnewi told our reporter Egbogu, who works at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, that this belief, that okra makes birthing easier, is common, especially in rural areas, and that it is one of many myths and superstitions that people hold onto even though there is no evidence to back them up.

"People have a lot of superstitious ideas. This is a myth that some people believe, but there is no proof that eating okra during the last three months of pregnancy will make birth easier.

"I know that some people believe it, and this usually happens in the country. Some people believe it, but there is no proof."

He did say, though, that okra is a food with many health benefits.

The gynaecologist told pregnant women not to believe the unproven claim that okra can help with labour, but instead to try mild movements that have been shown to make labour easier.

Egbogu said that simple movements like walking make it easier to give birth. Even though it's not done in Nigeria, giving birth in water has also been shown to make labour less painful.

Solanke-Lawal, the food expert, said she didn't know what would happen if a woman ate okra while giving birth.

She did say, though, that okra has been known to help people with diabetes keep their blood sugar in check.

The nutritionist said that, having lived in China, if these claims were true, they would have been seen all over the Asian country, since herbal and natural treatments are very popular in China.