Forces behind the Use of Herbs during Pregnancy by Zimbabwean Women: A Case of Gweru District (original) (raw)
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Boletin Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromaticas
Use of herbal, complementary and alternative medicines during pregnancy, labour and delivery is common in Zimbabwe. This study aimed at documenting herbal, complementary and alternative medicines used during pregnancy in Makoni District in Zimbabwe. Snowballing was used to select 66 participants which included herbalists (45.5%), traditional birth attendants (18.2%), traditional healers (15.2%), and assistant traditional healers and herbal medicine vendors (10.6% each). Pregnant women in the study areaused a total of 47 plant species from 27 families, and 14 non-plant products as herbal, complementary and alternative medicines by. A total of 26 medical cases were treated with the majority of medicinal plants and non-plant products,used to dilate or widen the birth canal (55.3%) and to augment labour or speed up the delivery process (46.8%). This study showed that herbal, complementary and alternative medicines play an important role in the provision of basic health care in Zimbabwe.
Identifying Promoters and Reasons for Medicinal Herb Usage During Pregnancy in Maseru, Lesotho
Africa Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 2015
Lesotho has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in Southern Africa. Notwithstanding the efforts to reduce maternal deaths in Lesotho, unsafe use of medicinal herbs during pregnancy remains a threat to achieving that goal. This study assessed the reasons and promoters of medicinal herb usage during pregnancy in Maseru, Lesotho, with the aim of establishing a baseline for intervention. This was a semi-structured questionnaire-based cross-sectional quantitative study on 72 purposively sampled pregnant women who attended antenatal care at one referral district hospital in Maseru District between March and April 2014. Overall, 34 (47.2%, n=72) women conceded use of herbs during pregnancy. The majority (52.9%) of the participants had no specific reasons for using the herbs except as a tradition. Besides unspecified reasons, three (8.8%, n=34) women cited prevention of placenta praevia, while leucorrhoea of pregnancy, prevention of abortion and promoting foetal growth were each cited by two women (5.9%) as the main reasons for using herbs. By proportion of pregnant women, grandmothers (52.9%), traditional healers (26.5%), mothers-in-law (14.7%) and traditional birth attendants (5.9%) were cited as the major promoters and providers of traditional herbs. Use of herbs was not significantly associated with age (p=0.233), marital status (p=0.113), literacy level (p= 0.719), previous loss of pregnancy (p=0.490), parity (p=0.147) and gravida (p=0.234). Grandmothers, traditional healers, mothers-inlaw and traditional birth attendants (TBAs) are the main promoters of herb use during pregnancy. There is need to incorporate information on potential dangers of using medicinal herbs during pregnancy into the training curriculum for TBAs and midwives. Further qualitative research is necessary to unveil the precise cultural reasons for using herbs.
BMC Women's Health
Background Globally, use of herbal medicine during pregnancy and labour is often associated with adverse obstetric outcomes such as uterine rupture and fetal distress. However, in rural Malawi, information on the perceptions of women about the use of herbal medicine during pregnancy and labour is underreported despite the practice. Understanding women’s views and perceptions on use of herbal medicine during pregnancy and labour is therefore critical for understanding the basis of their practice and for setting up maternal and neonatal health care interventions to alleviate any possible pregnancy and labour complications. Aims To explore the perceptions of women on the use of herbal medicine during pregnancy and labour in rural Malawi. Methods We employed a qualitative descriptive (QD) study on the purposively identified participants (women with parity \ge 2$$ ≥ 2 ), residing in four villages (Kagona, Champsinja, Mthupi and Manja) of Traditional Authority Malili, in Lilongwe rural ...
Background: Use of herbal medicine during pregnancy and labour is often associated with obstetric complications including uterine rupture and fetal distress, but little is known about its advantages. Particularly, in-depth information on the perceptions of rural women in Malawi about the use of herbal medicine during pregnancy and labour is underreported. Knoweldge of women’s views and perceptions on use of herbal medicine would help determine potential inclusion of the suitable herbal medicine in women and reproductive health services. Aims: To explore the perceptions of women on potential use of herbal medicine during pregnancy and labour in rural Malawi. Methods: We employed a crossesctional survey on study participants (women), purposively identified (parity≥2) from four villages (Kagona, Champsinja, Mthupi and Manja) of Traditional Authority Malili, in Lilongwe rural district, Malawi. Qualtitative data was collected through four Focus Groups of 6-8 women in each group that were...
Pan African Medical Journal, 2016
Introduction: The use of natural health products is gradually increasing all over the world with up to 50% of the general population having tried at least one herbal product. This becomes a dilemma to the midwife who has limited or no knowledge on their effects in pregnancy, hence the need to explore the perceptions of women on the use herbs in pregnancy and labour. Methods: The research, which was a case study of a Claybank Private Hospital in Gweru, Zimbabwe, adopted a qualitative approach with a triangulation of data from interviews, observations and analysis of maternal records. A sample of 20 women, admitted to using herbs, was purposively selected from the labour and post natal wards. Results: A variety of substances, but mainly the elephant's dung, was used. The family, (mother) prescribed the herbs. The women did not have knowledge on how the substances work but believed in them, as they have stood the test of time. Conclusion: The African women in Zimbabwe cannot be stopped from taking herbs as it is engraved in their culture and have absolute faith in them. Whilst the herbs are assumed by the women to be effective, their safety is questionable, especially in women with underlying obstetric complications. It is therefore recommended to scientifically explore the safety and effectiveness of the most commonly used herbs if pregnancy is to be safe. Whilst the women can not be stopped from taking these herbs, it is important to build a trusting relationship between the midwife and the mother so that communication about the use of herbs can be done freely without fear or judgement.
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2016
Background: According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, 80 % of the population living in rural areas in developing countries depends on traditional medicine for their health needs, including use during pregnancy. Despite the fact that knowledge of potential side effects of many herbal medicines in pregnancy is limited and that some herbal products may be teratogenic, data on the extent of use of herbal medicines by women during pregnancy in the study setting is largely unknown. We determined the prevalence and factors associated with herbal medicine use during pregnancy among women attending postnatal clinics in Gulu district, Northern Uganda. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study which involved 383 women attending postnatal care across four sites in Gulu district using quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. A structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data while qualitative data were obtained using focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The selection of the study participants was by systematic sampling and the main outcome variable was the proportion of mothers who used herbal medicine. Quantitative data was coded and entered into a computerized database using Epidata 3.1. Analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Scientists version 13, while thematic analysis was used for qualitative data. Results: The prevalence of herbal medicines use during the current pregnancy was 20 % (78/383), and was commonly used in the second 23 % (18/78) and third 21 % (16/78) trimesters. The factors significantly associated with use of herbal medicines during pregnancy were perception (OR 2.18, CI 1.02-4.66), and having ever used herbal medicines during previous pregnancy (OR 2.51, CI 1.21-5.19) and for other reasons (OR 3.87, CI 1.46-10.25). Conclusions: The use of herbal medicines during pregnancy among women in Gulu district is common, which may be an indicator for poor access to conventional western healthcare. Perception that herbal medicines are effective and having ever used herbal medicines during previous pregnancy were associated with use of herbal medicines during current pregnancy. This therefore calls for community sensitization drives on the dangers of indiscriminate use of herbal medicine in pregnancy, as well as integration of trained traditional herbalists and all those community persons who influence the process in addressing the varied health needs of pregnant women.
'We are nothing without herbs': a story of herbal remedies use during pregnancy in rural Ghana
Background: Herbal medicine has become the panacea for many rural pregnant women in Ghana despite the modern western antenatal care which has developed in most parts of the country. To our knowledge, previous studies investigating herbal medicine use have primarily reported general attitudes and perceptions of use, overlooking the standpoint of pregnant women and their attitudes, and utilisation of herbal medicine in Ghana. Knowledge of herbal medicine use among rural pregnant women and the potential side effects of many herbs in pregnancy are therefore limited in the country; this qualitative study attempts to address this gap by exploring the perceptions of herbal medicine usage among pregnant women in rural Ghana.
East African Medical Journal, 2016
Objective: To assess the knowledge and use of herbal medicines among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic at Kiryandongo general hospital. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study Setting: Kiryandongo general hospital in Masindi District, mid-western Uganda. Subjects: Four hundred (400) pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) were interviewed about their knowledge and use of herbal medicines during pregnancy using self-administered questionnaires, during the months of July and August 2013. Results: Of the 400 women who participated in the study, majority 246 (61.5%)was in the age range of 18 to 24 years old, married 379 (94.8%), stayed in a rural setting 293 (73.3%),had attained primary education 239(59.8%),peasant farmers 209 (52.3%), in monogamous marriage 247 (64.2%), of prime gravidae 117 (29.2%), and Banyoro by tribe 89 (22.3%). Three hundred and fifty (87.5%)of the respondents reported to have ever heard about the use of herbal medicines during pregnancy, with 169 (48.3%) reported having used herbal medicines during previous pregnancies or in the months prior to the study.One hundred and thirty two (37.7%) where found to be using herbal medicines at the time of the study, with the majority of them one hundred and eleven (84.1%) admitting that they will be using herbal medicines again in subsequent pregnancies. One hundred and fifty three (43.7%)considered herbal medicines to be safe during pregnancy and preferred them to conventional medicines because they have low side effects, are cheap and easy to access, and it is part of their tradition to use them during pregnancy.One hundred and ten (31.4%) believed that these herbs are neither dangerous to the mother nor the foetus. Conclusion:More efficient ways are required to educate the general population about the dangers of self-medication during pregnancy especially to advise pregnant mothers not to expose their unborn child to the risks of herbal medicines.Pharmacological and case control studies will be vital in assessing the efficacy and risks associated with herbal medicine use during pregnancy. Midwives, obstetricians and General Practitioners should facilitate women's wishes without condemnation, but this must be tempered with accurate information.
Drug, Healthcare and Patient Safety, 2022
The use of herbal medicine is increasing globally, particularly in developing countries including Ethiopia, yet little is known regarding its effect and safety during pregnancy. Pregnant women prefer herbal medicine due to easy accessibility, traditional and cultural beliefs, and comparatively low cost. This study aimed to assess women's knowledge and attitude towards the effects of herbal medicine usage during pregnancy and associated factors among women who gave birth in the last twelve months in Dega Damot district. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1st to February 30th, 2021. A total of 872 women were selected using a stratified cluster sampling technique. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews using a structured, pretested, and interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were entered into EPI data version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Multivariable logistic regression was done and a p-value of ≤ 0.05 was used to declare the level of significance. Results: Women's knowledge and positive attitude towards the effects of herbal medicine usage during pregnancy was 49.1% (95% CI: 46-52) and 57.3% (95% CI: 54-61), respectively. Access to media, had antenatal care visit, being urban dweller, history of herbal medicine usage, and a short distance to reach the nearby health facility were significantly associated with women's knowledge about effects of herbal medicine usage. Besides, being primiparous and short traveling time to reach the nearby health facility was significantly associated with women's attitude towards the effects of herbal medicine usage during pregnancy. Conclusion: Women's knowledge and positive attitude towards the effects of herbal medicine usage during pregnancy was low. It is important to design strategies to improve the accessibilities of maternal health services, and expand access to media will have a great role in improving women's knowledge and attitude towards herbal medicine usage during pregnancy.
2019
Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and types of traditional medicine used during pregnancy, at labour and for postpartum care by women in rural Zimbabwe. Research design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 398 women from two rural districts in Zimbabwe. Data on socio-demography, pregnancy related information as well as traditional medicine use patterns was collected using a structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Convenient sampling was used to recruit women of childbearing age who were either pregnant at the time of the study, or had previously given birth. Results: The prevalence of traditional medicine used during pregnancy and at labour was 69.9% and only 17.3% used these medicines for postpartum care. During pregnancy, 27.7% used soil from a mole hill, 21.6% used elephant dung, and 13.3% used Fadogia ancylantha. These medicines were mainly used to facilitate labour (43.5%), avoid tears/ stitches (19.7%), make delivery easy and saf...