Herbal Medicine among Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in Health Facility in Rural Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with the use of herbal medicine by pregnant women.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study of six healthcare facilities in Okada town, Edo State, Nigeria, involving 370 women attending antenatal clinics. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire on the use of herbal medications in pregnancy. Data were analysed using a statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 25.0, and P-values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the prevalence, types of herbal medications used, and factors associated with the use of herbal medicine among the women.

Results: The mean age of respondents in this study was 30.64 ± 8.33 years. About 72.7% knew about herbal medicine intake during pregnancy. and the prevalence of herbal medicine use was 44.1%.  Age, level of education, religion, marital status, parity and number of antenatal visits were significantly associated with herbal medicine use (p ˂ 0.05). The odds of using herbal medicine were 2.44 times higher in respondents with higher incomes.

Conclusion: The use of herbal medicine by pregnant women was seen to be quite high in this study. This is because many patients have confidence in the efficacy of herbal remedies and find them helpful with limited reported side effects. There is a need for further investigation of these herbal medicines, their potency, efficacy and safety in pregnancy.