Fatimah grass is one of the most popular ways to stimulate labor in Indonesia. From generation to generation, pregnant women do not escape being advised to drink marinated water from fatima grass to speed up the baby's birth process.
One study from Malaysia found that Fatima grass contains oxytocin. Oxytocin is a hormone that is also used in labor induction drugs to trigger or increase uterine contractions. This is the reason behind the popularity of using fatima grass soaking water as an herbal medicine that can facilitate labor.
But the use of traditional herbal medicine is in fact strongly opposed by many medical professionals, given the dangers that can be fatal.
The incorrect dose of fatimah grass can risk a miscarriage
Reporting from Compass, Prof. Maksum Radji, Professor of Pharmacy at the University of Indonesia, stressed that in order for the use of herbal medicines to be safely consumed in bulk, the product must be scientifically proven about its safety through a series of clinical trials in a controlled laboratory. Herbal medicines must also be tested for dosage, how to use, effectiveness, risk of side effects, and their interactions with other drug compounds.
Unfortunately, most herbal medicines circulating in Indonesia fall into the category of herbs and OHT (Standard Herbal Medicine). Both are types of traditional medicine that have not undergone clinical trials in humans.
Fatimah grass is one of the many original Indonesian herbs whose security is still in doubt, especially for pregnant women. Fatimah grass herbs are usually formulated using spices and spices combination combinations and generations of recipe variations that do not have a dose and a definite indication.
According to Dr. Ali Sungkar, Sp.OG, still from Kompas, the random dosage between herbal makers makes the side effects of Fatimah grass cannot be determined with certainty. "Fatimah grass is not safe for consumption for pregnant women because it is unclear what it contains. We also don't know the active ingredients in the roots, stems, or leaves, "Ali said.
The absence of standardization for product manufacturing procedures and the minimum limit of oxytocin doses in the dreaded fatima grass herbs can trigger excessive uterine contractions, which often lead to tearing of the uterus or bleeding that can be fatal - especially if the mother has not experienced openings. And even though the effects of contractions from the Fatima grass can be dealt with immediately with the help of medical drugs, according to Ali the results will not be maximal and still have a great chance to endanger the safety of the mother and baby during the delivery process.
Moreover, the effect of fatima grass on everyone can be different. This is because each person has his own way of processing which he thinks is the most correct. Some have roots soaked in warm water or hot water so that the dose may increase. There were also those who chose to soak the fatimah grass with cold water, but it did not show any influence then continued to drink it regularly until the effect appeared.
Is there a safe way to facilitate labor?
Dr. Budi Iman Santoso, Head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department FKUI-RSCM, was quoted from Newsstand said that there was no special drink that could deliver labor. The smooth delivery of labor is greatly influenced by the strength of the mother's contractions, the size of the pelvis, and the size of the baby. For example, if the mother's pelvis is small but the size of the baby is large, the labor process might tend to be more difficult.
The proven way to speed up labor is by medical induction. Labor induction can be done in various ways, such as administration of drugs or other methods. With a more precise dose of medicine and carried out under the strict supervision of your obstetrician, the risk of side effects and complications can be calculated from the start and controlled to a minimum for the safety of mother and baby.
