TITLE:
Kaolin Clay Consumption and Pregnancy: Prevalence, Hematological Consequences and Outcome of Labour in the Douala
AUTHORS:
Henri Essome, Jean Paul Engbang, Gaëlla Ndedi Penda, Mve Koh Valere, Merlin Boten, Pascal Foumane, Dieudonné Adiogo
KEYWORDS:
Kaolin, Pregnancy, Anemia, Prognosis, Childbirth, Douala
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.7 No.12,
November
10,
2017
ABSTRACT: Objective: To determine the prevalence, haematological repercussions and prognosis
of childbirth in the event of consumption of kaolin during pregnancy. Materials
and Methods: It was a study
over a period of 3 months at the Laquintinie Hospital Douala. It compared two
groups of women, one of whom had consumed kaolin during pregnancy (exposed
group) and the other had not consumed it (non-exposed group). Results: A
total of 342 women were included in our study, 121 (35.4%) of whom had consumed
kaolin during pregnancy. Women exposed to this consumption (P - 8.79, P = 0.013), single
(OR = 1.65, CI = 1.05 - 2.59, P = 0.029), those
with primary education (OR = 2.25, CI = 1.06 - 4.79, P
= 0.035) and those with HIV (OR = 2.75, IC = 1.02-7.43, P = 0.045). Consumption
was more frequent in the first trimester of pregnancy (37%) and in the third quarter
(34%), at a predominantly weekly rate (47.9%). The most frequently cited
reasons were envy (82%), and nausea (45%). This consumption was associated with
a risk of premature delivery (RR = 2.26, IC = 1.27 - 4.05, P
= 0.001), yellowish amniotic fluid (RR = 4.66, IC = 1.81 - 11, P = 0.001), birth weight - 9.56, P = 0.025), but
increased the probability of delivery (RR = 1.94, IC = 0.96 - 3.90, P = 0.039). For the hematological aspect, the
occurrence of anemia (RR = 1.55, IC = 0.97 - 2.31, P
= 0.003) and a decrease in mean hemoglobin concentration (RR = 1.29, IC = 0.83 - 2.03, P = 0.041) were associated with kaolin in
pregnancy. After multivariate logistic regression, the complications included
premature delivery, yellowish colour of the amniotic fluid and decreased
hemoglobin. Conclusion: The use of kaolin is a frequent feeding behavior in pregnancy, mainly
motivated by envy, which nevertheless presents serious maternal and fetal
complications.