Most Nigerians loves zobo drink, especially our women praised zobo for helping them through their pregnancy; this can be true as zobo is used to treat morning sickness, fatigue, weakness and nausea.

This drink has many advantages such that it is, affordable, and available. Zobo is not only used for refreshments but can also be used to regulate blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, strengthen blood vessels, calm the nerves, reduce stress, for weight loss, and to improve sex drive. but now the question is, why are pregnant and breastfeeding women discouraged from taking this drink? extensive literature review by Public health Nigeria revealed several reasons why pregnant women and Nursing mothers should avoid zobo drink.

A study published in the African Journal of Alternative and Complementary medicine revealed that when pregnant women take zobo, it increases the risk of them giving birth to babies with low birth weight. Babies are said to have low weight when they weigh less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces, (that is less than 2,500 grams). Low weight babies look smaller than babies of normal weight; their head may be bigger than the rest of the body with little body fat.

Remember that zobo is used in losing weight; this can also affect an unborn child. There are many risks involved in giving birth to a baby with a low weight; they can be born with lots of health problems than babies with normal weight. This can even make them to be placed in the neonatal intensive care unit to gain weight and to treat health problems the babies have.

Some of the health problems that affects low weight babies are respiratory distress syndrome caused by immature lungs, inability to maintain body temperature, low levels of oxygen at birth, infection, bleeding in the brain, difficulty feeding and gaining weight, patent ductus arteriosus (a common heat problem in premature babies), necrotizing enterocolitis (an intestinal problem that premature babies suffer from), eye problems like retinopathy which affects the blood vessels in the eyes and sudden infant death syndrome.

They are prone to some diseases later in life than babies born with a healthy weight. Some of the health conditions babies with low birth weight are at risk of are heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome.

It is not even safe for a breastfeeding mother to consume too much zobo; because it decreases the appetite of the woman and make it difficult for her to eat much food. Remember that zobo is used to control weight gain; when this happens the woman is unable to eat much and this affects her nutritional status and that of the baby.

This will affect the baby, even up to his/her puberty level; it can delay puberty which is dangerous to the growth and development of the individual.

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