View source for A Book for Midwives:Medicines: uses, dosage, and precautions for the medicines referred to in this book

{{bctrail|segments=2|chaptitle=Medicines: uses, dosage, and precautions for the medicines referred to in this book|pagetitle=Medicines Pages}}
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{{SideSupplement|bookabbreviation=abfm|pagealt=is from <br>pages 447 to 461 of|chapterpdf=http://hesperian.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/en_midw_2021/en_midw_2021_gp.pdf|bookurl=A Book for Midwives|booktitle=A Book for Midwives}}
{{chaptertoc|In this chapter:|
<ul class{{=}}"noprint">
<li>[[A Book for Midwives:Medicines: uses, dosage, and precautions for the medicines referred to in this book|Medicines Pages]]</li>
  <li>[[A Book for Midwives:When to use medicines|When to use medicines]]</li>
  <li>[[A Book for Midwives:How to take medicines safely|How to take medicines safely]]</li>
  <li>[[A Book for Midwives:How to give medicines|How to give medicines]]</li>
  <li>[[A Book for Midwives:Kinds of medicine|Kinds of medicine]]</li>
  <li>[[A Book for Midwives:Problem index|Problem index]]</li>
  <li>[[A Book for Midwives:Alphabetical list of medicines|Alphabetical list of medicines]]</li>
  <li>[[A Book for Midwives:Oral contraceptives|Oral contraceptives]]</li>
  <li>[[A Book for Midwives:Medicines for HIV and AIDS|Medicines for HIV and AIDS]]</li>
 </ul>}}
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Medicines are drugs that are used to help the body fight problems like bleeding, allergy, or infection. Some medicines reduce pain. 

When we refer to medicines in this book, we usually mean both modern and traditional medicines, but this part of the book is mostly about the modern medicines that are used for women and babies during pregnancy, birth, and after birth. 

Traditional medicines vary a lot from one place to another, so a remedy that is used in one place may not be available anywhere else. You can write down the local medicines that you use in the back of this section — and if you translate this book, be sure to include traditional medicines from your&nbsp;community.
{{warning|&nbsp;&nbsp; '''Most of the time, pregnancy and birth are normal and safe and medicine is not needed.''' Most health problems are best treated by resting, drinking plenty of liquids, and eating healthy foods. Medicines can be expensive and many have uncomfortable or dangerous side effects. Most medicines pass through the mother’s blood or breast milk to her baby. For all of these reasons, '''pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using medicines unless they are truly needed.''' }}

{{Previous and next sections|Teaching materials|When to use medicines}}


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