Chinese 'herbal' contraceptives put Kenyans in harm's way

Dr. Francis Kimani, Kenya’s Director of Medical Services, has revealed the first hard evidence officially confirming what had been speculated for a long time now. The evidence gathered reveals that the so-called herbal products that have flooded the markets and are aggressively marketed are in fact doing more damage than good.
 
Dr. Kimani at a press conference said that 13 patients including 6 women and 7 children are being treated at various local hospitals including the Kenyatta National Hospital for severe Chinese herbal contraceptives related side effects.
 
Dr. Jayesh Pandit, who heads the drug surveillance unit at the Kenya Pharmacy and Poisons Board, says that the contraceptive pills labeled in Chinese on being tested were found to have extremely high levels of hormones – levonorgestrel and quinestrol – the same ingredients used to manufacture normal contraceptive pills, albeit in much smaller quantities. Therefore, their presence proves that these are not herbal pills but chemically synthesized. He also said that the levels were found to be about 40 times over safe limits.

The side effects reported from usage of these products range from a feeling of being pregnant, feet ache in women to enlarged breasts and uteruses, speech impairment, muscular pain and swollen legs in children whose mothers used the pills.

Next time you pop a 'herbal' pill, think again. Do proper research and always take advice of qualified doctors.