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Experts caution against pregnancy beyond 10 months

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***Says, its normal

By Francesca Hangeior

Seasoned maternal health experts have debunked claims and myths that a woman could be pregnant for three years or more.

The consultant obstetricians and gynaecologists asserted that an average pregnancy in humans could only last for 42 weeks or 10 months, stating that pregnancy lasting beyond this period was abnormal and has no place in medicine.

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They noted that after 42 weeks of gestation, the placenta, which is an organ that provides oxygen and nutrients to a developing baby in the uterus, would decline, leading to the death of the foetus.

The experts’ comment is in response to the recent eight-year pregnancy claim by a middle-aged woman, Janet Dada.

Dada claimed that she suffered a miscarriage in 2016 and after that got pregnant, stating that since then, she had yet to deliver the baby.

Although she clarified that several ultrasound scans showed she was not carrying a baby, spiritualists whom she visited assured her she was pregnant.

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In October, former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, said his late mother carried him in her womb for three-and-half years.

He described his birth as a miracle, noting that the prolonged pregnancy created a wave of unbelief as to whether he was a human being.

In July, former President Olusegun Obasanjo said that his mother carried his pregnancy for 12 months before his birth.

He ascribed the delay to the influence of some witches and wizards who gave his mother a tough time before God’s intervention.

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However, in exclusive interviews with PUNCH Healthwise, the leading maternal health specialists, affirmed that since pregnancy was counted from the first day of the last menstrual period, women who stop menstruation for some months and later on ovulate and conceive, could have a challenge with accurate pregnancy dating.

The gynaecologists called for proper pregnancy education and urged every pregnant woman to register for antenatal care early and be regular with their appointments.

A former President of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria, Prof. Rotimi Akinola, stated that a normal pregnancy could not exceed 42 weeks.

He clarified that the claims of pregnancies lasting three to eight years could indicate that these women likely experienced menstrual irregularities, then suddenly ovulated and conceived, mistakenly calculating their pregnancy from the date of their last period.

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“Oftentimes those who have that are people who have irregular periods. So when they are not pregnant, they think they are and we’ve had such occasions when they will insist. We count pregnancy from the last time you saw your period but it’s not always pregnancy that makes you not see your period,” the don said.

Continuing, Akinola said, “ Usually, if somebody has ovarian cancer and has plenty of fluid in the abdomen, it’s called ascites. They might not even be seeing their period simply because of the tumour. So they might think it’s pregnancy and it might last for a very long time, which is a possibility.

“Any tumour in the abdomen that makes the tummy big will appear like a pregnancy but an ultrasound scan will show that there is no baby there.”

The gynaecologist stated that such women needed to be operated on to remove the cysts.

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He noted that some women in such conditions usually believed their spiritual leaders’ assurances that they were carrying a baby, noting that this fuelled late hospital presentations and an increase in mortality rate.

The gynaecologist called for more education, advocacy and information on health matters.

“We continue to educate people that not everything is spiritual. But some people who are even educated still fall for that because of being desperate to conceive.

“There’s something called pseudocyesis, false pregnancy that those who wish to be pregnant desperately, or those who fear pregnancy so much, then suddenly they don’t see their period, their tummy begins to grow and their breasts begin to be full but when you do a pregnancy test, it will be negative and a scan won’t show anything. They might stay like that for three or four years. It’s a psychiatric problem rather than a medical problem.

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“It’s psychological because they believe so. So the brain is playing tricks with them. It usually lies within the purview of a psychiatrist or psychologist to treat them so that their system will get back to normal,” Akinola said.

Also, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Sokoto State, Abubakar Panti, noted that 40 weeks was the average timeline used scientifically to track and anticipate foetal development, and to plan health care.

“When a pregnancy goes beyond 42 weeks, it’s considered post-term. To give enough room for some people’s pregnancy that will be beyond that 42 weeks, that is why some people say, the highest 50 weeks. So by the time you say 50 weeks, you’ll be talking about 10 months pregnant which sometimes it can’t go beyond that,” Panti clarified.

The gynaecologist stated that claims of three to eight years of pregnancy were scientifically unfounded and medically impossible.

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He added that when such claims arose, three types of explanation could be given.

“One is that when you have something called molar pregnancy or gestational trophoblastic disease. In rare cases, some pregnancies develop into abnormal forms known as gestational trophoblastic disease, which includes molar pregnancy. These conditions involve abnormal tissue growth in the uterus.

“Sometimes forming a mass that resembles a pregnancy but you may not see a viable uterus. So this may cause the uterus to enlarge, but they do not result in living, growing babies. So these masses usually need medical treatment, often surgical, and can persist for many years if not properly removed,” the fertility expert said.

He added that the other explanation was the myth and misunderstandings of abdominal masses such as abdominal tumours or cysts, which could grow and expand over time, causing symptoms similar to pregnancy.

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He further said that such abdominal swellings and discomfort could be mistaken for pregnancy, especially in regions where access to medical imaging is limited.

Panti explained, “You can imagine somebody is carrying a huge fibroid, and then suddenly gets pregnant, where will you start counting from? You start counting from where you notice the mass.”

Continuing, the gynaecologist said, “A woman can just cease not to menstruate for more than a year and then instead of her menstruating, pregnancy just happened along the way. So where will she start counting that pregnancy? You start counting from when she was not pregnant.

“In some rare instances, the foetus can die in utero, like early in pregnancy, and instead of being expelled, it calcifies to form a phenomenon known as lithopedium, like stone pregnancies, stone baby and may be mistaken for a pregnancy lasting years because they are there and they pose no threat of delivering a living baby.

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“The last one is usually a cultural and superstitious explanation. In some cultures, myths and misunderstandings about pregnancy can lead to extraordinary claims. This may be rooted in folklore or used to explain unusual medical conditions that aren’t fully understood within a community. However, from a scientific standpoint, this explanation does not reflect a true pregnancy. So the bottom line is that no human pregnancy can physiologically last for years.”

He asserted that claims of multi-year pregnancy were often due to misunderstanding and other medical conditions.

The don emphasised that placenta function began to decline after 42 weeks, noting that babies who stayed beyond such period may not survive.

Panti noted that these claims had serious implications for maternal mortality rates and safe delivery outcomes, particularly in settings where access to healthcare and accurate information was limited.

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He added that the belief in prolonged pregnancy could cause other pregnant women to delay seeking medical intervention and prenatal care, exposing such mother and baby to risks of hypertension and diabetes in pregnancy and haemorrhage further increasing complications during labour.

The maternal health expert called for a multifaceted approach that combined education, healthcare access, community engagement and policy support to debunk myths about prolonged pregnancies and improve maternal health outcomes.

Panti advocated culturally sensitive educational programs chosen carefully and presented in local languages to address myths about pregnancy and make information about pregnancy timelines, prenatal care and common complications accessible and reliable.

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Christmas in Naija: How We Dey Manage Celebrate Despite Wahala

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By Gloria Ikibah
For Naija, Christmas no be just ordinary holiday. Na time wey hope dey shine, vibe dey sweet, and gratitude dey full everywhere. Na that time of the year wey, no matter how life don hard, people go try “show face” because Christmas na big deal. But lately, with the way everything dey cost and suffer no dey reduce, celebrating Christmas don turn wahala for many families.
Still, as we dey talk, “Man no fit kill himself.” Nigerians no dey carry last. We sabi find ways to flex and celebrate the birth of Jesus, even if na to cut corner or manage small.
Cost Wahala: Everything Don Cost Die
You no need any prophet to tell you say things for market don turn another level. Everything don cost! From rice to chicken, even maggi cube sef don follow increase. Wetin you go talk about live chicken? E don be like say to chop chicken for Christmas na for rich people alone. Rice wey people dey buy for ₦20,000 before don near ₦100,000. Wetin we go do?
But for Naija, no Christmas without rice and chicken. E be like wedding without music, e no complete. So, people dey hustle extra hard. Tailors no fit sleep because everybody wan sew new clothes. For market, na haggling full everywhere as buyers dey try drag price wey don already high.
Yet, hope still dey. Naija people dey always talk say, “God no go shame us.” Somehow, everybody dey find way.
December Rush: Going Back to the Village  
One of the sweetest things about Christmas for Naija na the “back to village” movement. Whether you dey Lagos, Abuja, Sokoto, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Ibadan ofPort Harcourt, December na time to reconnect with your roots. But my brother, the journey no easy o.
Transport fare dey mad. Fuel price dey high, so drivers no dey smile. Imagine paying ₦40,000 from Lagos to Enugu wey before na ₦7,000. Still, people dey go because, as dem go talk, “Home sweet pass anywhere.”
Na the road matter sef dey pain pass. Traffic go tie you like wrapper, police go dey disturb you for checkpoints, and bad roads no go allow you rest. But trust Nigerians; we sabi manage. With small gist, music, and snacks for road, the journey go dey bearable.
Decorations and the Christmas Feeling 
No matter the hardship, December still dey sweet for Naija. Streets go dey shine with Christmas lights, even if e no plenty like oyinbo countries. Small businesses go hang blinking lights, and some churches go do nativity scenes. Children go sing carols, mixing English and local hymns.
For house, families dey try decorate, no matter how small. If you no fit buy Christmas tree, palm frond dey available. Just add ribbon join am, and your tree don complete. Nigerians go just laugh say, “Na manage we dey manage, but e go still sweet.”
The Christmas Food: Make Everybody Chop 
For Naija, food na the center of Christmas celebration. Even if na one kind year wey e be like say soup no too dey plenty, Christmas day different. Rice, whether na Jollof or fried, e must show. Chicken, goat meat,cow meat or turkey go follow. If you lucky, you go see moimoi, salad, or even nkwobi and isi-ewu.
But the hustle to prepare food no easy. Cooking gas dey cost, firewood no dey too plenty, and food items don turn something else for market. Na there the community spirit dey enter. Neighbors dey share, people dey contribute small small, because as dem dey talk, “Nobody wan carry last, everybody must chop.”
Church Service: The Main Reason for Christmas
For Naija, we no dey forget say the reason for the season na Jesus Christ. Churches dey full on Christmas morning as families go dey sing, pray, and thank God for the year. Choir go sing gospel wey go touch heart, and pastor go preach hope, love, and resilience.
For some villages, dem dey even do nativity play or Christmas drama to remind people of how Christ take start. E dey sweet when you see traditional dance join the celebration. Religion and culture dey mix well for Naija style of Christmas.
Evening Cruise: Detty December Don Land  
After all the food and church matter, na groove time! Children go wear their fine new clothes waka round, go house to house dey greet people and collect small gifts (aka “Christmas handouts”). Youths go organize street parties, and local DJs go blast music wey go make body sweet.
For some people, na time to do “detty December.” Bars, lounges, and beaches go full as people go dey vibe, because, as we sabi talk, “Body no be firewood.”
Finding Joy Even When E No Easy  
Despite all the struggle, Nigerians sabi find joy. Na about the small memories, laughter from children, food wey everybody chop together, and the spirit of giving. Even those wey no fit afford big celebration still dey thank God o. Some people go do small house party; others go just use the day pray and reflect.
Social media sef dey help. People dey share their own kind of celebration, using hashtags like #NaijaChristmas or #DettyDecember to show say life still dey sweet, no matter the condition.
As We Enter New Year  
As another year dey end, hope still dey shine for Naija. The way people dey push through Christmas wahala, show the resilience wey Nigerians carry. Everybody dey pray say next year go better, better economy, better life.
So, whether na rice and chicken you chop, or na garri you soak, one thing sure: Christmas na about the heart wey dey give. Love, gratitude, and hope na wetin matter pass.
Merry Christmas, Naija style!
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Edo To Get First Lady As Gov Okpebholo Reportedly Set To Quit Bachelorhood

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

December 24, (THEWILL) – Barring any last minute change of heart, the governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, is allegedly set to marry his side chick, a California-based lady, Jennifer, the daughter of Sharon Ogaga, who is a native of Auchi and is believed to be in her 30s.

THEWILL reports that the marriage is scheduled to be held in Potter Ranch, California, in January 2024, while Aso ebi for the event is being distributed to friends of the bride for a fee around America, Europe and Africa, the letter of invitation only identifies Jennifer, but does not mention the identity of the husband-to-be, in what appears to be a deliberate attempt to mask governor Okpebolo’s identity and shield him from the controversial move.

What is weird is that Jennifer and her family are being coy with the identity of the man she is marrying.

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One of THEWILL’s sources, however, has a direct confirmation that Governor Okpebholo is the “husband-in-waiting.”

“They are only telling people that Jennifer is getting married. They are not revealing the identity of the man. It is obvious they are hiding something, probably they don’t want distractions to taint the ceremony,” one of the sources said.

THEWILL does not know the status of Okpebholo’s current marriage to Blessing Okpabi Okpebholo, the mother of his two daughters, who was a no-show during his inauguration as governor.

It, however, appears that their marriage is over because it is illegal to be married to more than one person under the laws of the United States.

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According to one of our sources, Senator Adams Oshiomhole allegedly hooked Jennifer up with the governor.

The governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Osiobughie Okhuemoi, said he was unaware of the development when THEWILL contacted him for comments a few days ago.

THE WILL

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WATCH moment Tinubu hails FCT minister for his doggedness, sterling performance

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President Bola Tinubu has described the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, minister Nyesom Wike as a performing and dogged technocrat.

Naijablitznews reports Tinubu made this assertion during his maiden presidential chat on Monday.

The president rounded up by saying “I doff my hat for the performing minister.

Watch clip below:

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