Attitude and use of herbal medicines among pregnant women in Nigeria

Patient-physician communication on herbal medicine use during pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Lack of transparent communication between patients and physicians regarding the use of herbal medicine (HM) presents a major public health challenge, as inappropriate HM use poses health risks. Considering the widespread use of HM and the risk of adverse events, it is crucial for pregnant women to openly discuss their HM use with healthcare providers. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aims to estimate the pooled prevalence of pregnant women's HM use and disclosure to healthcare providers and to examine the relationship between HM disclosure and various maternal and child health (MCH) measures.

METHODS

A systematic search of five databases was conducted for cross-sectional studies on HM use during pregnancy published from 2000 to 2023. Data extraction followed a standardised approach, and Stata V.16.0 was used for data analysis. Also, Spearman's correlation coefficient was calculated to examine the association between use and disclosure of HM and various MCH indicators.

RESULTS

This review included 111 studies across 51 countries on the use of HM among pregnant women. Our findings showed that 34.4% of women used HM during pregnancy, driven by the perception that HM is presumably safer and more natural than conventional medical therapies. However, only 27.9% of the HM users disclosed their use to healthcare providers because they considered HM as harmless and were not prompted by the healthcare providers to discuss their self-care practices. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between HM disclosure and improved MCH outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Inadequate communication between pregnant women and physicians on HM use highlights a deficiency in the quality of care that may be associated with unfavourable maternal outcomes. Thus, physician engagement in effective and unbiased communication about HM during antenatal care, along with evidence-based guidance on HM use, can help mitigate the potential risks associated with inappropriate HM use.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Cultural Malpractice During the Perinatal Period in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The health of the mother and children are potentially affected by several types of cultural malpractices that occur during the perinatal period. Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic nation where a variety of cultural practices are observed, especially during pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of cultural malpractice during the perinatal period in Ethiopia. Data searches were conducted in PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, African Journals Online, and the Cochrane Library. Data were extracted using Microsoft Excel, and analysis was done using STATA version 14. Less than a p-value of 0.05 was regarded to indicate potential publication bias: the funnel plot, Begg, and Egger's regression tests were used to examine publication bias. This study included 18 studies and 7880 mothers. The pooled prevalence of cultural malpractice during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum was 34.95% (95% CI: 27, 42.56), 31.18% (95% CI: 19.61, 42.76), and 45.83% (95% CI: 34.22, 57.45) respectively in Ethiopia. In addition, the following factors are statistically associated with the perinatal period: pregnancy: ANC follow-up (AOR = 3.06, 95%CI = 2.04, 4.58), educational status (AOR = 3.30, 95%CI = 1.99, 5.48), and residence (AOR 2.47, 95%CI, 1.601, 3.81); childbirth: ANC follow-up (AOR = 9.94, 95%CI = 2.05, 48.09), maternal age (AOR = 2.27, 95%CI = 1.56, 3.29), and maternal education (AOR = 10.37, 95%CI = 6.145, 17.51); during postpartum: ANC follow-up (AOR = 3.67, 95%CI = 1.96, 6.844), maternal education (AOR = 6.87, 95%CI = 3.26, 14.49), and residence AOR4.79, 95%CI, 2.97, 7.49). The pooled prevalence of cultural malpractice during the perinatal period was high. Health professionals should encourage beneficial practices through health education for a healthy perinatal period for mothers.

The Determinants of Utilisation of Herbal Medicine Among Pregnant Women in the Asante Akim North District, Ghana

BACKGROUND

Pregnant women especially in the developing countries resort to herbal medicines to manage their unpleasant conditions in pregnancy. The study examined the utilization of herbal medicine among pregnant women in Asante Akim North District of Ghana.

METHODS

Purposive, random and convenient sampling techniques were used to select pregnant women visiting antenatal clinics in the selected health institutions. The theoretical underpinning of the study was the theory of planned behaviour. The sequential mixed method approach was used to draw data from the respondents. The research was a cross-sectional study and instruments used for data collection were structured questionnaire and interview guide. Data were analysed using statistical tools such as frequencies, percentages and chi-square test of independence.

RESULTS

Results indicate that over 82% of respondents had ever used herbal medicine during pregnancy and they derived greater part of their medication from herbalists. Ginger and leaves of the neem tree were the herbs regularly used and the major health problems they faced during pregnancy were waist pains, malaria and anaemia. The factors that exhibited a statistically significant association with the use of herbal medicine were income (X2 =41.601; p=0.014) and religion (X2=9.422; p=0.045).

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of use of herbal medicine by pregnant women is high in the district. The theoretical underpinning of the study has been vindicated. The findings have implications for global health given that maternal health issues engage serious attention of international donor organisations. Recommendations have been made to improve the efficacy of herbal medicine and to integrate herbal medicine into orthodox medicine.

Prevalence and consumption pattern of kolanut among pregnant women in Ibadan metropolis

Kolanut contains caffeine and it is widely consumed in various social contexts in Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan African countries. While some studies have suggested that kolanut is consumed by pregnant women, there is a dearth of information on the prevalence, consumption pattern and reasons for kolanut consumption among this group. This study investigated kolanut use among pregnant women in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study involving 478 consenting pregnant women in all trimesters of pregnancy was conducted. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data. Associations between kolanut use and respondent characteristics were investigated using the chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. The mean age of the women was 28.7 ± 6.3 years. One hundred and sixty-two (33.9%) of women reported kolanut use during pregnancy, 140 (29.3%) in the current pregnancy. Fifty-five (39.3%) pregnant women reported frequent use and 46 (32.9%) used it in high quantities. Significant associations were found between current kolanut use and Hausa respondents (p = 0.014), educational level; secondary (p = 0.032), tertiary (p = 0.006), TBA (p = 0.005). The majority (93.7%) used kolanut to prevent spitting, nausea, and vomiting. This study showed that kolanut use is quite common among pregnant women and frequently used in large quantities.

The use of Traditional Medicines for Sexual Enhancement in Northern Nigeria

BACKGROUND

There is a paucity of information on the use of traditional medicine TM to improve sexual performance. This study aims to assess the prevalence and self-reported adverse effects associated with the use of TM as a sexual enhancer in northern Nigeria.

METHODS

The study was a cross-sectional design among adults aged 18 years and above, who are residing in northern Nigeria. A mixed-mode approach was utilized using face-to-face interviews and an online survey. For the online survey, a link to the questionnaire was shared on the social media platforms of the targeted participants.

RESULTS

A total of 794 eligible participants completed the survey over the six weeks. Of this number, 508 reported ever using TM for sexual enhancement, with a prevalence of 64% (95% CI: 60.5, 67.3). About 30 (3.8%) reported daily use, 49 (4.9%) weekly, 65 (8.2%) monthly and 473 (59.6%) as when needed. Islamic medicine was the most frequently implicated TM. Most respondents obtained it TM practitioners 213 (26.8%). Participants 164 (20.7%) reported experiencing side effects, mostly headaches 59 (35.9%), and 31 (3.9%) were severe (required hospitalization). Predictors of TM use for sexual enhancement were found to be gender, marital status, number of wives, ethnicity, educational level, and lifestyle.

CONCLUSION

The use of TM for sexual enhancement is common among the adult population in northern Nigeria. One out of five of the users reported an adverse event. Therefore, there is a need for improved awareness of the safe use of the TM in the community, especially among females, those with multiple wives, a low education level, and poor lifestyles.

Prevalence, knowledge, and attitudes toward herbal medicines among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in Prince Mansour Military Hospital in Taif

Background

Using of herbs is very common among pregnant women to treat the symptoms related to pregnancy as most people believe that herbs are safer than the medical drugs. This study aims to explore the prevalence, knowledge, and attitudes toward herbal medicines among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinics.

Materials and Methods

A cross-sectional study was applied at Prince Mansour Military Hospital in Taif city. It included a random sample of Saudi pregnant women who attended the antenatal clinic. Arabic language self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. It included the personal data, herbal medicines use during pregnancy, and pregnant beliefs about use of herbal medicines and conventional medications.

Results

The study included 222 pregnant women. Their age ranged between 19 and 45 years with a mean of 30.15 and standard deviation of 5.51 years. About 15.3% of the participants never visited the antenatal clinics before while 56.8% of them visited them three times or more. The prevalence of using herbal medicines during pregnancy was 32.9%. The main source for obtaining herbal medicines was herbal shops (53.4%). Herbal medicines were self-used by majority of the pregnant women during pregnancy (82.2%). There was a statistically significant association between frequency of antenatal care visits and using of herbal medicines during pregnancy, P = 0.030. Majority of the women believed that most herbal medicines are natural (86%), most Western medicines are unsafe for them (74.8%) and their babies (75.2%) during pregnancy as well as herbals are beneficial if recommended by doctor (71.2%).

Conclusion

Herbal medicines use during pregnancy is a common practice among women in Taif city, Saudi Arabia. Less frequent ANC visits was associated with high probability of herbal medicine use during pregnancy. Majority of pregnant women agreed that herbals are beneficial if recommended by doctor.

Quercetin and Ferulic Acid Elicit Estrogenic Activities In Vivo and In Silico

In this study, we examined the sub-acute toxicity of quercetin and ferulic acid and evaluated their effects on protein, cholesterol, and estrogen levels in vivo. Six groups of female Wistar rats were fed by gavage. The first and second groups represent the positive (Clomiphene citrate 10 mg/kg) and negative (NaCl 0.9%) control groups, while the other groups received quercetin and ferulic acid at doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg/day for 28 days. The sub-acute toxicity was monitored by examining the weights, biochemical parameters (AST, ALT, ALP, urea, and CREA), and histological changes in the kidneys and liver of the treated animals. Furthermore, the in vivo estrogenic effects were studied in terms of the serum and ovarian cholesterol levels, serum estradiol, and uterine proteins. Finally, Docking studies were conducted to evaluate the binding affinity of quercetin and ferulic acid for alpha and beta estrogen receptors. Results showed that both compounds were devoid of any signs of nephrotoxicity or hepatotoxicity. Additionally, quercetin and ferulic acid caused significant estrogenic effects evidenced by an increase of 8.7 to 22.48% in serum estradiol, though to a lesser amount than in the reference drug-treated group (64.21%). Moreover, the two compounds decreased the serum cholesterol levels (12.26-32.75%) as well as the ovarian cholesterol level (11.9% to 41.50%) compared to the negative control. The molecular docking in estrogen alpha and estrogen beta active sites showed high affinity of quercetin (-10.444 kcal/mol for estrogen alpha and -10.662 kcal/mol for estrogen beta) and ferulic acid (-6.377 kcal/mol for estrogen alpha and -6.3 kcal/mol for estrogen beta) to these receptors. This study provides promising insights into the potential use of quercetin as a therapeutic agent for the management of female fertility issues.

Prevalence, predictors and pregnancy outcomes of unprescribed and herbal medicine use in Ibadan, Nigeria

BACKGROUND

Unprescribed and herbal medicines use among pregnant women is a public health concern in low and middle-income countries because of the potential teratogenic effects, insufficient safety and weak drug regulatory systems. Unprescribed and herbal medicines are common among pregnant women in Nigeria, and only a few researchers have documented the prevalence and the risk factors. However, evidence on the associated pregnancy outcomes is still lacking. We assessed the prevalence, predictors and pregnancy outcomes of unprescribed and herbal medicines use among pregnant women in Ibadan, Nigeria.

METHODS

This study was a component of the Ibadan Pregnancy Cohort Study, a prospective cohort study, among pregnant women in Ibadan, Nigeria, who were enrolled at ≤ 20 weeks gestation at their first antenatal visit and followed up till delivery. In all, 571 women participated in the maternal drug use assessment during the third trimester using a pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire. The primary outcomes were unprescribed and herbal medicines use and pregnancy outcomes, secondary outcomes, were abstracted from medical records. The predictors assessed included sociodemographic, obstetric, antenatal care utilization, and lifestyle characteristics. Bi-variate logistic and Poisson regression analyses were used to evaluate the predictors and relative risk for the pregnancy outcomes of unprescribed and herbal medicines at 5% significance.

RESULTS

The prevalence of unprescribed and herbal medicine use was 31.9% and 21.7%, respectively. On bivariate analysis, the significant predictors of unprescribed medicine (which were protective) were tertiary education, increasing income, adequate antenatal care (≥ 4 visits), and at least two doses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. However, high parity and having an antenatal admission increased the risk. However, after adjusting for confounders, the significant factors associated with unprescribed medicines were; tertiary education (AOR) = 0.23; 95% CI: (0.06 - 0.95); p-value: 0.043] and obtaining at least two doses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine [AOR = 0.33; 95% CI: (0.29 - 3.60); p-value: 0.048]. For herbal medicines, the predictors were similar to unprescribed drugs. However, after adjusting for confounders, none was significant for herbal medicines. Unprescribed and herbal medicines were not significantly associated with pregnancy outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Unprescribed and herbal medicines use were common among pregnant women in Ibadan, Nigeria, particularly among women with low economic status and those with poor utilization of antenatal care services. These significant predictors can be targeted for public health intervention. Specifically, health education that discourages the use of unprescribed and herbal medications to pregnant women during antenatal care.

A multicenter study on practices and related factors of traditional medicinal plant use during pregnancy among women receiving antenatal care in East Gojjam Zone, Northwest Ethiopia

Background

Little is known about the practice of traditional medicinal plant use, especially during pregnancy in Ethiopia. Moreover, there has been no previous studies conducted on practices and related factors of medicinal plant use among pregnant women in Gojjam, northwest Ethiopia.

Methods

A multicentered facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July 1 to 30 2021. A total of 423 pregnant mothers receiving antenatal care were included in this study. To recruit study participants, multistage sampling techniques were used. Data were collected using a semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. SPSS version 20.0 statistical package was used for statistical analysis. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors related to the medicinal plants' utilization status in pregnant mothers. The study results were presented in both descriptive statistics (percents, tables, graphs, mean, and dispersion measurements like standard deviation) and inferential statistics (odds ratio).

Results

The magnitude of traditional medicinal plants' utilization during pregnancy was 47.7% (95%CI: 42.8-52.8%). Pregnant mothers residing in rural areas [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 3.13; 95% Confidence Interval (CI):1.53, 6.41], who are illiterate (AOR = 2.99; 95%CI:1.097, 8.17), have illiterate husbands (AOR = 3.08; 95%CI:1.29, 7.33), married farmers (AOR = 4.92; 95%CI:1.87, 12.94), married merchants (AOR = 0.27; 95%CI:0.09, 0.78), have a divorced and widowed marital status (AOR = 3.93; 95%CI:1.25, 12.395), have low antenatal care visits (AOR = 4.76; 95%CI:1.93, 11.74), substance use history (AOR = 7.21; 95%CI:3.49, 14.9), and used medicinal plants in previous pregnancy (AOR = 4.06; 95%CI:2.03, 8.13) had statistically significant association with medicinal plant use during current pregnancy.

Conclusions

The present study revealed that a relatively large number of mothers used medicinal plants of various types during their current pregnancy. Area of residence, maternal educational status, husband's education level, husband's occupation status, marital status, number of antenatal care visits, use of medicinal plants in previous pregnancies, and substance use history were among the factors which were significantly associated with the use of traditional medicinal plants during the current pregnancy. Overall, the current finding provides scientific evidence useful for health sector leaders and healthcare professionals on the utilization of unprescribed medicinal plants during pregnancy and the factors associated with the utilization of the plants. Hence, they may consider creating awareness and providing advice on the careful use of unprescribed medicinal plants among pregnant mothers, especially those residing in rural areas, who are illiterate, who have divorced and widowed marital status, and who have a previous history of herbal and substance use. This is because using traditional medicines without prior discussion with a healthcare expert may harm pregnant mothers and their unborn child, as the safety of the utilized plants in the current study area is not scientifically proven. Prospective studies which need to confirm the safety of the plants used are recommended mainly in the present study area.

Prevalence of harmful traditional practices during pregnancy and associated factors in Southwest Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence of harmful traditional practices during pregnancy and associated factors in Southwest Ethiopia.

DESIGN

A community-based cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Southwest Ethiopia.

PARTICIPANTS

667 women who were pregnant at the time of the study or gave birth 2 years prior to the study have participated.

OUTCOME OF THE STUDY

Harmful traditional practices during pregnancy (yes/no). Harmful traditional practices during pregnancy include abdominal massage, herbal intake or food taboos done on/by pregnant women without health professionals' instruction.

RESULTS

The prevalence of harmful traditional practices in the study area was 37%, 95% CI (33.4% to 40.8%). The most commonly practised activities were abdominal massage (72.9%), intake of herbs (63.9%) and food taboos (48.6%). Monthly income (AOR=3.13, 95% CI (1.83 to 5.37), p<0.001), having had no history of child death (AOR=2.74, 95% CI (1.75 to 4.29), p<0.001), women with no formal education (AOR=4.81, 95% CI (2.50 to 9.23), p<0.001), women who had antenatal care (ANC) visits during their last pregnancy (AOR=0.24, 95% CI (0.10 to 0.59), p=0.002) and being multipara (AOR=0.47, 95% CI (0.27 to 0.80), p=0.003) were significantly associated with harmful traditional practices during pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed that more than one-third of women in Southwest Ethiopia practised harmful traditional practices while they were pregnant. The practices were more common among primiparas, women who had lower educational and financial status, women with no ANC visits, and women with no history of child death. Health education should be given to the community about the complications of harmful traditional practices during pregnancy.

Women's holistic self-care behaviors during pregnancy and associations with psychological well-being: implications for maternal care facilities

Background

Self-care behaviors during pregnancy significantly impacts mother and children's health. This study aimed to explore the self-care behaviors and the associations of these behaviors with the psychological well-being of women during pregnancy, as well as the mediating effects of different social support with these associations.

Methods

A cross-sectional data of 562 pregnant women at Hanoi Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital and Ca Mau Obstetrics & Pediatrics in Vietnam were analyzed. Questions about self-care behaviors, pregnancy characteristics, social support, and psychological well-being were asked. Multivariate regression models were performed. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to test the mediating effects of different social support with the association between self-care behaviors and psychological well-being.

Findings

Only 13% of pregnant women often or always did physical exercise at least three times a week, and 40% consumed enough fiber and five servings of vegetables a day. Only 78.7% always avoided alcohol drinking, and 53.9% of pregnant women avoided being exposed to second-hand smoking and 71,7% avoided using traditional medicine without physicians’ prescriptions. Around 66% of pregnant women always or often had prenatal care checkups as scheduled. Information sources, social support and childbirth expectation were major drivers for self-care practices. SEM model showed that social support mediated the relationship between maternal health behaviors and mental well-being.

Conclusion

This study highlighted the remarkable gaps in self-care practices among our pregnant women, which were significantly associated with their mental well-being. Social support-oriented consultancy and interventions should be warranted for improving behaviors and the mental well-being of pregnant women in Vietnam.

Women's use of non-conventional herbal uterotonic in pregnancy and labour: evidence from birth attendants

Background

Over the years, governments and stakeholders have implemented various policies/programmes to improve maternal health outcomes in low-middle-income countries. In Ghana, Community Health Officers were trained as midwives to increase access to skilled maternal healthcare. The government subsequently banned traditional birth attendants from providing direct maternal healthcare in 2000. Despite these, there is an unprecedented utilisation of TBAs’ services, including herbal uterotonics. This has attempted to defeat stakeholders’ campaigns to improve maternal health outcomes. Thus, we explored and highlighted herbal uterotonic consumption in pregnancy and birth and the implications on maternal and newborn health outcomes in North-Western Ghana.

Methods

This was an exploratory qualitative study that investigated traditional birth attendants (n = 17) and healthcare providers' (n = 26) perspectives on the intake of herbal uterotonics in pregnancy and childbirth in rural Ghana, using in-depth interviews. A combination of convenience, purposive and snowball sampling procedures were employed in selecting participants.

Results

Findings were captured in two domains: (1) perceived rationale for herbal uterotonic intake, and (2) potential adverse impacts of herbal uterotonic intake in pregnancy and labour, and nine topics: (i) confidence in unskilled attendance at birth, (ii) cost and a shortage of essential medicines, (iii) herbal uterotonics as a remedy for obstetric problems, (iv) herbal uterotonics facilitate birth, (v) attraction of home birth for cultural reasons, (vi) affordability of herbal uterotonics, (vii) unintended consequences and adverse outcomes, (viii) risks using herbal uterotonics to manage fertility and (ix) risks using herbal uterotonics to facilitate home birth.

Conclusion

The findings have suggested that the intake of non-conventional herbal uterotonic is widespread in the study area, although the constituents of the herb are unknown. However, complex and multiple factors of healthcare cost, desire for homebirth, unawareness of the negative effects of such substances, perceived way of addressing obstetric problems and cultural undertones, among others, accounted for herbal uterotonics consumption. We also encourage research into the constituents of ‘mansugo’ and the potential benefits and adverse effects. We recommend qualitative studies involving previous users of this herbal uterotonic to inform policy and healthcare provision.

A cross-sectional study of herbal medicine use and contributing factors among pregnant women on antenatal care follow-up at Dessie Referral Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia

Background

Herbal medicines are widely used in the world especially in developing countries. Pregnant women use herbal products to treat pregnancy related illnesses due to prior experience of herbal medicine use and easy accessibility of the products with less cost. However, herbal products could affect fetal growth and contribute to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Herbal drug use during pregnancy is not well studied in Ethiopia specifically in northeast Ethiopia.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 254 pregnant women on antenatal care follow-up at Dessie referral hospital. Semi-structured questionnaires were used for data collection. After collection, data were coded, entered and analyzed by SPSS version 20. Chi squared test and Logistic regression were used to evaluate the association between dependent and independent variables.

Result

Among the total of 254 respondents, 130 (51.2%) used herbal drugs during current pregnancy. The most commonly mentioned reason for herbal drug use was “herbal medicines are accessible without prescription” (43.1%). The herbal medicines used were Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) (43.8%), followed by Garlic (Allium sativum L.) (23.8%), Damakese (Ocimum lamiifolium Hochst. ex Benth.) (21.5%) and Tena-adam (Ruta chalepensis L.) (10.8%). The indications for herbal drug use were nausea/vomiting (43.8%), headache (30.8%) and common cold (25.4%). The most commonly mentioned sources of information on herbal medicine were families and friends (80.0%) followed by neighbors (12.3%), and the most commonly cited sources of herbal products were market (67.7%) and self-preparation (20.0%). Being illiterate or having only primary school education (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]: 3.717, 95% CI: 0.992-13.928), having secondary school education background (AOR: 3.645, 95% CI: 1.394-9.534), and poor monthly income (AOR: 7.234, 95% CI: 2.192-23.877) were the variables that showed significant association with herbal drug use during current pregnancy.

Conclusion

This study showed that half of the sampled pregnant women used herbal medicine during current pregnancy, and education status and monthly income level of the women were associated with herbal drug use.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12906-022-03628-8.

Congenital malformations: Prevalence and characteristics of newborns admitted into Federal Medical Center, Asaba

Background

Congenital malformations account for a significant cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity. Understanding the burden and pattern of congenital malformation is key in monitoring the trend and improving the health care of neonates especially those in low‐income countries.

Objective

This was a prospective cross‐sectional study to determine the prevalence and characteristics of congenital malformations among neonates admitted to the neonatal unit.

Method

All newborns with congenital malformation admitted into the neonatal unit of Federal Medical Center, Asaba whose parents gave consent were recruited for the study for a 1‐year period from January 2020 to December 2020. Appropriately indicated laboratory and radio‐diagnostic investigations were done to confirm internal anomalies. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with a statistical package for social sciences version 26.0.

Results

The total admission for the period was 752 with 46 of the neonates (6.1%) having congenital malformation. The predominant system affected was the cardiovascular system (57%), central nervous system (33%), and digestive system (30%). Atrioventricular septal defect (31%) and patent ductus arteriosus (31%) were the commonest types of cardiovascular malformation. A significant number of newborns with congenital anomalies died (43.5%).

Conclusion

Congenital malformation was seen among one in 18 neonates affecting mostly the cardiovascular and central nervous system. A high index of suspicion, early complete physical examination, and radio‐diagnostic investigations are relevant for the complete evaluation of CM in neonates. Advanced maternal age was associated with the presence of multiple organ anomalies.

Knowledge and Attitude of Women Towards Herbal Medicine Usage During Pregnancy and Associated Factors Among Mothers Who Gave Birth in the Last Twelve Months in Dega Damot District, Northwest Ethiopia

Background

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.

Traditional Medicine Utilisation Among Pregnant Women in Sub-saharan African Countries: A Systematic Review of Literature

Traditional medicine has the potential to boost the health and economies of many SSA countries, especially if regulatory mechanisms are deployed to govern their protection and utilisation. There is lack of knowledge regarding traditional medicines and their impact on pregnancy. This paper reviews the literature on traditional medicine utilisation among pregnant women in Sub-Saharan African countries. The paper, determined the proportion of pregnant women utilising traditional medicines in Sub-Saharan Africa, identified the different types of traditional medicine used during antenatal care and reasons for Use in Sub-Saharan Africa and also identified challenges that are faced by women who use traditional medicine in antenatal care. A systematic exploratory review was conducted guided by the PRISMA framework. The databases that were searched included Google Scholar, PubMed, Cochrane, HINARI and the World Health Organization. Forty-one literature sources were eligible and included in the review process. Reported traditional medicine utilisation ranged between 12 and 93% among pregnant women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Different types of traditional medicines have been utilised in Sub-Saharan Africa for different purposes. Safety and poor management of usage were reported to be some of the challenges associated with traditional medicine. There is a need to determine chemical components and mode of action of these herbs as some could be beneficial, whilst others harmful, leading to severe pregnancy complications.

Exploring the Use of Herbal Treatments During Pregnancy Among Saudi Women: An application of the knowledge-attitude-practice model

Objectives

Herbal treatments are commonly used by Saudi women during pregnancy. However, the inappropriate use of some herbs can have side-effects for both the mother and the fetus. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of their use during pregnancy is crucial. This study aimed to explore the use of herbal treatments by Saudi women during pregnancy using the knowledge-attitude-practice model.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2019 and April 2020 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on a convenience sample using an online Arabic-language questionnaire. Saudi women aged between 18-58 years who were pregnant or had been pregnant and were living in the Riyadh were included.

Results

A total of 400 individuals participated in this study. All participants lacked knowledge about the side-effects of herbal treatment but 63% knew about unsafe herbs in general. Most participants (66%) had a neutral attitude towards herbal treatments. Almost half of the participants (48%) did not use herbs during pregnancy and a similar number (47%) sometimes used herbal treatments during pregnancy. There was a significant positive correlation between attitude and practice and a negative correlation between knowledge and attitude as well as between knowledge and practice (P <0.0001 each).

Conclusion

While the participants' knowledge were generally poor, their attitudes and practices regarding the use of herbal treatments during pregnancy were good. It is recommended that more efforts be made by healthcare providers to target attitudes towards herbal treatments by providing accurate knowledge and reinforcing healthy practices among Saudi women.

Strategies for formulation of effervescent granules of an herbal product for the management of typhoid fever

Herbal medicines are currently being adopted as alternatives to orthodox medicines for the management of drug-resistant and emerging multidrug-resistant microbial strains of various diseases, including typhoid fever. A herbal decoction, MA 001, manufactured by the Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR), has been used for the treatment of typhoid fever for at least two decades in Ghana with desirable outcomes. MA 001 is formulated from Citrus aurantifolia, Spondias mombin, Latana camara, Bidens pilosa, Trema occidentalis, Psidium guajava, Morinda lucida, Vernonia amygdalina, Persea americana, Paulina pinnatta, Momordia charantia and Cnestis ferruguinea medicinal plants. The low palatability and compliance to treatment due to the bulky nature of the decoction poses challenges in its optimum use. This study sought to design and formulate the therapeutic components of the aqueous herbal decoction of MA 001 into an optimal solid dosage form of effervescent granules to improve the delivery of MA 001 as well as increase patient compliance and convenience of product handling. The methods involved pre-formulation studies on the suitability of effervescent vehicles, formulation and evaluation of effervescent granules for drug excipient interactions using high performance liquid chromatography analysis. The findings indicate that the effervescent granules were suitable for use in the delivery of the therapeutic constituents for the treatment of typhoid fever as done with the decoction due to minimal herbal extract-excipient interaction.

African Herbal Medicines: Adverse Effects and Cytotoxic Potentials with Different Therapeutic Applications

The African continent is naturally endowed with various plant species with nutritional and medicinal benefits. About 80% of the people in developing countries rely on folk medicines to treat different diseases because of indigenous knowledge, availability, and cost-effectiveness. Extensive research studies have been conducted on the medicinal uses of African plants, however, the therapeutic potentials of some of these plants has remained unexploited. Over the years, several studies have revealed that some of these African floras are promising candidates for the development of novel drugs. Despite the plethora of studies on medicinal plant research in Africa, there is still little scientific data supporting the folkloric claims of these plants. Besides, safety in the use of folk medicines has been a major public health concern over the year. Therefore, it has become mandatory that relevant authority should take measures in safeguarding the populace on the use of herbal mixtures. Thus, the present review extracted relevant information from different scientific databases and highlighted some problems associated with folk medicines, adverse effects on reproductive systems, issue about safety due to the toxicity of some plants and their toxicity effects with potential therapeutic benefits are discussed.

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF NIGERIAN MEDICAL STUDENTS TOWARDS COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE IN COVID-19 MANAGEMENT

OBJECTIVE

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is commonly used, but many physicians have limited knowledge of CAM despite its widespread use. Therefore, this study sought to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of medical students on complementary and alternative medicine in the management of COVID-19.

METHODOLOGY

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 medical students from three Federal Universities in South West, Nigeria. A self-administered semi-structured online Google Forms questionnaire was used to collect information. Chi-squared and Fisher's exact test was used to analyze the bivariate relationship between KAP status and sociodemographic characteristics. Spearman's correlation coefficient matrix was computed to determine the association between knowledge, attitude, CAM, age, and religiosity practice.

RESULTS

The median age was 22 years (interquartile range: [IQR]: 21-23 years). Median self-rated score for religion was 4.00 (IQR: 3.00-4.25). Median knowledge score was 4.00 (IQR: 3.75-5.00), median attitude score 2.75 (IQR: 2.38-3.00) and median practice score 2.00 (IQR: 1.00-2.00). Thirty-seven respondents (24.7%) were considered to have poor knowledge about CAM use in COVID-19 while the rest (75.3%) had good knowledge. Thirty-eight (25.3%) had a poor attitude towards using CAM in COVID-19 and 112 (74.7%) had a good attitude.

CONCLUSION

Medical students have good knowledge and a positive attitude towards CAM modalities as adjunct management for COVID-19. However, their practices do not reflect wide acceptability. There is a need for clinical trials on the efficacy of CAM as an adjunct treatment for COVID-19 to further inform its use.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine during pregnancy: a cross-sectional study from Palestine

BACKGROUND

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasing worldwide. To the best of knowledge, there is a lack of studies that assess CAM use by Palestinian women during pregnancy. This research aims to determine the prevalence of Palestinian women's use of CAM during pregnancy, the most frequently used CAM products during the pregnancy period, the main sources that encourage the use of CAM among pregnant women, and the causes of CAM use.

METHODS

A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in Palestine using a questionnaire from April 2018 to March 2019. The samples were selected by convenience sampling, including currently pregnant or previously pregnant women in the Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) clinic at Rafedia Hospital and in primary health care clinics in Nablus city-Palestine. The questionnaire covered socio-demographic variables, health status, types and frequency of CAM used, patients' sources of information, causes of their usage, attitudes, and beliefs.

RESULTS

Four hundred currently or previously pregnant women participated. Three hundred fifty-five (91.5%) used at least one method of CAM during pregnancy. Most women used at least one method of biologically-based therapies during pregnancy (87.7%). One hundred and one pregnant women (26.7%) utilised at least one type of herb during pregnancy. The most-reported herb used by 12.3% of participants was anise. Of the mind-body therapies, prayer was the most commonly used method during pregnancy (8.3%). Two hundred and sixty-one (65.3%) participants used CAM because they believed CAM was not harmful to them or their babies during pregnancy. Participants gained most of their information about CAM from their families (43.8%) and friends (24.3%). Approximately two-thirds of participants (64.0%) thought that obstetricians should be able to advise on commonly used CAM.

CONCLUSIONS

During pregnancy, CAM products are commonly used, and it is important to determine what types are being used by women in Palestine. These findings supplement the body of knowledge on the use of CAM by pregnant women. Pregnancy care providers need to be aware to the familiar types of CAM that women use.

Exploring traditional medicine utilisation during antenatal care among women in Bulilima District of Plumtree in Zimbabwe

Traditional medicine utilisation during antenatal care has been on the increase in several countries. Therefore, addressing and reinforcing the Sustainable Development Goal of maternal mortality reduction, there is a need to take traditional medicine utilisation during pregnancy into consideration. This paper explores traditional medicine utilisation during antenatal care among women in Bulilima District of Plumtree in Zimbabwe. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 177 randomly selected women using a semi-structured questionnaire. Fisher's Exact Test, Odds Ratios, and Multiple Logistic Regression were utilised to determine any associations between different demographic characteristics and traditional medicine utilisation patterns using STATA SE Version 13. The prevalence of Traditional Medicine utilisation among pregnant women was estimated to be 28%. Most traditional remedies were used in the third trimester to quicken delivery. The majority of women used holy water and unknown Traditional Medicine during pregnancy. There was a strong association between age and Traditional Medicine utilisation as older women are 13 times more likely to use Traditional Medicine than younger ones. Women use traditional medicine for different purposes during pregnancy, and older women's likelihood to use Traditional Medicine is higher than their counterparts. The traditional system plays an essential role in antenatal care; therefore, there is a need to conduct further studies on the efficacy and safety of utilising Traditional Medicines.

Knowledge of the Use of Herbal Medicines among Community Pharmacists and Reporting Their Adverse Drug Reactions

Introduction:

Community pharmacist’s knowledge about the uses of herbal medicines and its adverse drug reactions reporting can contribute in better therapeutic outcomes and patient safety. Objectives: To evaluate community pharmacists’ knowledge about the use of herbal medicines and its adverse drug reactions reporting in Kedah state, Malaysia.

Methods:

A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among 103 pharmacists from 74 different community pharmacies to assess their knowledge about the use of herbal medicines and its adverse drug reaction reporting by using a pre-validate knowledge questionnaire consisting of 12 questions related to it. The pharmacists’ responses were measured at a 3-point Likert scale (Poor=1, Moderate=2, and Good=3) and data was entered in SPSS version 22. The minimum and maximum possible scores for knowledge questionnaires were 12 and 36 respectively. Quantitative data was analyzed by using One Way ANOVA and Paired t-test whereas Chi-square and Fisher exact test were used for qualitative data analysis. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant for all the analyses.

Results:

About 92% of the pharmacist had good knowledge regarding the use of herbal medicines and its adverse drug reaction reporting with a mean knowledge score of 32.88±3.16. One-way ANOVA determined a significant difference of employment setting (p<0.043) and years of experience (<0.008) with mean knowledge scores of Pharmacists. Pharmacists’ knowledge was significantly associated with their years of experience with the Chi-square test.

Conclusion:

Pharmacists exhibit good knowledge regarding the use of herbal medicines and its adverse drug reaction reporting. However, with an increasing trend of herbal medicine use and its adverse drug reaction reporting it recalls the empowerment of experienced pharmacists with training programs in this area for better clinical outcomes.

Socio-economic behavioural indicators of falciparum malaria parasitaemia and moderate to severe anaemia among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria

Background

Incidence of malaria and anaemia are of public health importance especially in pregnant women in endemic regions, due to the negative health consequences to the mother and fetus. This study aimed to assess the pattern of falciparum malaria infection and anaemia, based on malaria prevention methods practiced by participants.

Methods

A semi-structured tool was used to capture information on demographic, socio-economic and malaria prevention practices from 113 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in 2 peri-urban health facilities in Lagos, southwest Nigeria. Malaria microscopy was conducted and haematocrit was measured. Logistic regression analysis was performed on the data collated from the survey.

Results

The prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women was 87.2%. The mean (± sd) packed cell volume (PCV) (%) of the 22 (19.5%) infected subjects (26.8 ± 6.6), was significantly lower (t = −2.60, P value = 0.007) than that of the 91 (80.5%) uninfected subjects (30.8 ± 6.0). The prevalence of infection was highest in the 3rd trimester (n = 40, 35.4%) at 27.5% (11/40) and among those in their first pregnancy (n = 32, 28.3%) at 25.0% (8/32). There was a significant difference (t = −2.23, P-value = 0.01) in the mean PCV % of pregnant women who consumed herbal teas in pregnancy (28.2 ± 5.2) compared to those who did not (30.8 ± 6.6). Regression analysis showed that first pregnancy, anti-malarial use and insecticide-treated nets use the night before study had increased odds of malaria infection in participants (OR = 1.35, P = 0.006, 95% CI 0.52−2.49; OR = 2.3, P = 0.005, 95% CI 0.14−0.41; OR = 1.92, P = 0.001, 95% CI 0.62−5.98) while intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) participation and formal education were strongly and significantly associated with lower risk of parasitaemia (OR = 0.95, P = 0.025, 95% CI 0.41−2.26; OR = 0.44, P = 0.005, 95% CI 0.34−10.50).

Conclusion

Interventions that will reduce malaria and moderate to severe anaemia, especially in a first pregnancy, should include education on the correct use of long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets (LLIN), IPT and the dangers of herbal teas in pregnancy.

Herbal medicine use among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Lusaka Province, Zambia: A cross-sectional, multicentre study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The study of herbal medicine (HM) use which is related to maternal health, a public health priority in many sub-Saharan African countries including Zambia, has been limited. Accordingly, we aimed to determine the prevalence and patterns of HM use during pregnancy in Lusaka Province, Zambia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A survey-based (interviewer-administered), cross-sectional, multicentre study was conducted in 446 adult pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in June/July 2019.

RESULTS

Overall, 57.8% of participants reported using HM during their current pregnancy, with a mean of 2.0 ± 1.5 remedies/woman. Logistic regression analysis showed that HM use was significantly associated with HM use in prior pregnancies (p < 0.001) and willingness to use HM in the future (p < 0.001). The most commonly used herbs were lemon for nausea/vomiting and common cold, soybean to boost energy, ginger for common cold and nausea/vomiting, and Aloe vera for skin care. The perceived safety of HM (37.6%) and its complementary action with conventional medicines (35.3%) were the main reasons for HM use.

CONCLUSION

HM use among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Lusaka Province, Zambia is common, and a wide range of herbs is used.

Underlying causes of underutilization of maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) services in Africa: A survey from Lagos State, Nigeria

Lagos State, Nigeria, Africa's largest city with an estimaed 21 million population, continues to face challenges in its attempts to reduce maternal mortality (555 deaths per 100,000 live births) and deaths of children under five (59 per 1,000 live births). These deaths are more common among women and children living in poverty, many of whom rarely utilize health services. This paper describes the trend in the use of maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) services in the State in the past decade and shows barriers to the use of the services. Significant improvement in the coverage of the services were not observed. We identified the following five types of barriers to the use of MNCH services: i) financial barriers, ii) physical barriers, iii) cognitive barriers, iv) organizational barriers, and v) psychological and socio-cultural barriers. To address these interrelated barriers, the Lagos State Ministry of Health should prioritize regular outreach health services including health promotion, and realize the current initiative for massive recruitment of health personnel and appropriate deployment of them.

Use of herbal remedies in the management of sleeping sickness in four northern provinces of Angola

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

This study reports for the first time on the use of folk medicine to treat sleeping sickness and its symptoms in four endemic provinces in northern Angola. By interviewing both traditional practitioners and confirmed patients, it highlights reasons to recourse to folk medicine, the plant species used for this affection as well as arises awareness about the use of particular plants showing potential risks.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aims of this explorative study were three-fold. Firstly, it informed on access to, and use of plant-based medicine as first-choice treatment by infected persons. Secondly, it aimed at collecting comprehensive data from patients and traditional healers on herbal remedies in order to identify plant species used in the management of the disease. Thirdly, it served as contribution for primary indication of potential risk of use associated with the studied plants and their preparation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was conducted in 4 endemic provinces of Angola, namely Bengo, Zaire, Kwanza Norte and Uíge. We explored the use of herbal remedies by conducting structured and semi-structured interviews within two distinct study populations. The first group comprises 30 patients who had been diagnosed for trypanosomiasis and treated by the reference treatment. The second group included 9 traditional practitioners who had already treated sleeping sickness. The plants that were cited during the interviews were collected during field walks under supervision of a traditional healer, then authenticated and deposited at the National Herbarium in Luanda.

RESULTS

Of the 30 included patients, 12 (40%) had turned to folk medicine in the management of trypanosomiasis and related symptoms. 7 medicinal plants were reported by this group. Considering the key motivation to consult a traditional practitioner, two main factors accounted for half of the cases: "past experience with folk medicine" and "family habit". Out of 9 traditional practitioners' interviewees, 26 medicinal plants were cited. Roots and leaves were the most used plant parts, and decoction was the common mode of preparation. Evidence for antitrypanosomal activity in the scientific literature was found for 56% (17 of 30) of the identified plant species. The most cited plant was Crossopteryx febrifuga (UR = 6). Some of the cited plants, as for example Aristolochia gigantea, raised concern about potential toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

With 40% of infected persons having turned first to folk medicine before consulting a medical doctor, this explorative study points out that plant-based medicines play an important role in local dynamics of health care. It highlights the need for primary assessment of potential risk of use related to the herbal recipes, and for reporting it to the concerned population. This first ethnobotanical study on trypanosomiasis in endemic provinces of Angola provides information on 30 plants, of which some had been identified as promising for further pharmacological research. Our results provide a first step towards the validation and valorization of Angolan herbal remedies for sleeping sickness.

Herbal Medicine Use During Pregnancy: A Review of the Literature With a Special Focus on Sub-Saharan Africa

Herbal medicine use has grown considerably worldwide among pregnant women, and is particularly widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. However, herbal medicines used across sub-Saharan Africa are associated with important research gaps and a lack of regulatory framework. This is particularly problematic, as herbal medicine use during pregnancy raises several concerns attributed to the herbal ingredient itself, conventional drug-herbal medicine interactions, and contamination or adulteration of herbal remedies. Moreover, several local herbal remedies used by sub-Saharan African pregnant women have never been botanically identified. In this review, an overview of the practice of herbal medicine, including the regulations, challenges and overall safety, is provided. Then, we discuss the prevalence of herbal medicine use during pregnancy across different sub-Saharan African countries, as well as the indications, adverse outcomes, and effectiveness of the most commonly used herbal medicines during pregnancy in that region.

Traditional medicine usage among adult women in Ibadan, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

Background

Previous research has revealed high rates of traditional medicine usage in Nigeria. Reports of widespread contamination of herbal medicine products and higher rates of noncompliance with Western medications among traditional medicine users have raised concerns about the safety of traditional medicine use. Few studies have explored how demographic factors predict rates of traditional medicine use in the general population.

Methods

We conducted interviews of 748 adult women recruited from the communities in the city of Ibadan, Nigeria from 2013 to 2015. A structured questionnaire was created to collect data on rates of traditional medicine use and demographic factors such as age, education, ethnicity, and occupation. Multivariate logistic regressions were run to examine factors related to traditional medicine use, and the effects were measured with odds ratios (OR) along with 95% confidence interval (95%CI).

Results

The overall proportion of traditional medicine use was 81.6%. Women from the Ibo and Hausa ethnic groups were significantly less likely to use traditional medicine than the majority Yoruba group (OR 0.25, 95%CI 0.10–0.63;, OR 0.43, 95%CI 0.24–0.76) respectively). In addition, educated women were less likely than their non-educated counterparts to have used traditional medicine, with the biggest effect seen in women with a secondary education (OR 0.42, 95%CI 0.21–0.85).

Conclusions

We found a high rate of traditional medicine usage, consistent with that found in prior research. A novel finding was the significance of ethnicity as a predictor for usage rates.

Herbal medicine use and predictors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

The use of herbal medicine among pregnant women is increasing in many low- and high-income countries due to their cost-effectiveness in treatment and ease of access. Research findings across Ethiopia on the prevalence and predictors of herbal medicine use among pregnant women attending antenatal care are highly variable and inconsistent. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aims to estimate the overall prevalence of the use of herbal medicine and its predictors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Ethiopia.

Method

We searched articles in Medline (PubMed), EMBASE, HINARI, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, and other sources. The study included a total of eight studies that reported the prevalence and predictors of herbal medicine use among pregnant women from different regions of Ethiopia. Cochrane Q test statistics and I² tests were used to assess heterogeneity. A random effect meta-analysis model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence. In addition, the association between risk factors and herbal medicine use in pregnant women attending antenatal care were examined.

Results

A total of eight studies were included in this review. The pooled prevalence of herbal medicine use among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Ethiopia was 47.77% (95% CI: 28.00–67.55). Subgroup analysis by geographic regions has showed that the highest prevalence (57.49%;95% CI: 53.14, 61.85) was observed in Oromia Region and the lowest prevalence was observed in Addis Ababa (31.39%; 95% CI: 2.83, 79.96). The herbal medicines commonly consumed by women during pregnancy were ginger: 41.11% (95% CI: 25.90, 56.32), damakasse: 34.63% (95% CI: 17.68, 51.58), garlic: 32.98% (95% CI: 22.21, 43.76), tenaadam: 19.59% (95% CI: 7.54, 31.63) and eucalyptus: 4.71% (95% CI: 1.1, 8.26). Mothers’ previous history of self-medication (95% CI: 1.91, 51.35), illness during pregnancy (95% CI: 1.56, 23.91), employment status (95% CI: 3.89, 10.89), educational status (95% CI: 1.52, 2.68), and place of residence (95% CI: 1.86, 3.23) were predictors of herbal medicine use by women during pregnancy.

Conclusion

In this study, about half of women attending antenatal care use herbal medicine and it is relatively high. The most commonly consumed herbal medicine during pregnancy was ginger followed by damakasse, garlic, tenaadam and eucalyptus. During pregnancy, it is not known that these most commonly consumed plant species have harmful fetal effects. However, many of the medicinal plant species are poorly studied, and it is not possible to rule out teratogenic effects. Teamwork between healthcare professionals and traditional practitioners to educate on the use of medicinal plants will encourage healthier pregnancies and better health for mothers and infants.

Frequently Used Herbal Teas During Pregnancy - Short Update

The prevalence of herbal medicine use during pregnancy varies depending upon the geographical location and socio-cultural factors. With the belief of "being natural is safe", use of herbs and herbal products has become popular worldwide and used more frequently including period of pregnancy. The potential unwanted effects of any substance is more important during pregnancy period, because cellular development and division of the rapidly growing fetus is vulnerable to these adverse effects. As with medicines, herbal products must at least interact with a component of the organism at the molecular level in order to exert a response. Herbal preparations most commonly used during pregnancy were teas or infusions (hot-water extracts of dried herbs) which usually have the lowest concentrations and contain the least amount of compounds. The purpose of this review is to summarize the herbs that are most commonly used as "herbal teas" during pregnancy and their potential toxic effects to highlight the importance of being cautious about their use.

Factors associated with local herb use during pregnancy and labor among women in Kigoma region, Tanzania, 2014-2016

Background

Despite research suggesting an association between certain herb use during pregnancy and delivery and postnatal complications, herbs are still commonly used among pregnant women in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA). This study examines the factors and characteristics of women using local herbs during pregnancy and/or labor, and the associations between local herb use and postnatal complications in Kigoma, Tanzania.

Methods

We analyzed data from the 2016 Kigoma Tanzania Reproductive Health Survey (RHS), a regionally representative, population-based survey of reproductive age women (15–49 years). We included information on each woman’s most recent pregnancy resulting in a live birth during January 2014–September 2016. We calculated weighted prevalence estimates and used multivariable logistic regression to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for factors associated with use of local herbs during pregnancy and/or labor, as well as factors associated with postnatal complications.

Results

Of 3530 women, 10.9% (CI: 9.0–13.1) used local herbs during their last pregnancy and/or labor resulting in live birth. The most common reasons for taking local herbs included stomach pain (42.9%) and for the health of the child (25.5%). Adjusted odds of local herb use was higher for women reporting a home versus facility-based delivery (aOR: 1.6, CI: 1.1–2.2), having one versus three or more prior live births (aOR: 1.8, CI: 1.4–2.4), and having a household income in the lowest versus the highest wealth tercile (aOR: 1.4, CI: 1.1–1.9). Adjusted odds of postnatal complications were higher among women who used local herbs versus those who did not (aOR: 1.5, CI: 1.2–1.9), had four or more antenatal care visits versus fewer (aOR: 1.4, CI: 1.2–1.2), and were aged 25–34 (aOR: 1.1, CI: 1.0–1.3) and 35–49 (aOR: 1.3, CI: 1.0–1.6) versus < 25 years.

Conclusions

About one in ten women in Kigoma used local herbs during their most recent pregnancy and/or labor and had a high risk of postnatal complications. Health providers may consider screening pregnant women for herb use during antenatal and delivery care as well as provide information about any known risks of complications from herb use.

Self-medication among pregnant women in two municipalities in the Central Region of Ghana

Self-medication in pregnancy is a concern in Ghana. We assessed the practice among 136 pregnant women in Effutu and Agona West Municipalities using facility-based, cross-sectional design and mixed method approach of data collection. Our findings show that pregnant women of varying backgrounds self-medicate for sociocultural and economic reasons, with 69% prevalence, motivated by cheaper treatment cost (17%), minor ailments (29%) and positive outcomes (33%). Commonly used medications include antibiotics (23%), pain killers (20%) and herbal preparations (19%). We recommend further studies on pharmacological compositions of the medications used and effects on pregnancy outcomes to inform policy and programs decisions.

Prevalence of Self-Medication with Antibiotics amongst Clients Referred to Outpatient University Dental Clinics in Iranian Population: A Questionnaire-Based Study

Self-medication with antibiotics may increase the risk of inappropriate use and development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics amongst dental outpatients in Iranian population.

Methods and Materials

One thousand and two hundred of dentistry patients, who were referred to dental school clinics in ten major provinces of Iran, participated in this study. A valid self-administered questionnaire regarding self-medication with antibiotics in case of dental pain was used to collect data. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Logistic regression analysis.

Results

In our study population, the prevalence of self-medication was 42.6%. Amongst the Iranian cities, the highest prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics belonged to the city of Bandar Abbas (64%) and the lowest was seen in the city of Kerman (27.3%). Men were more likely to take antibiotics. Amoxicillin was the mostly used antibiotic. Severe pain, previous self-medications and high costs of dental visits were the most common reasons for self-medication with antibiotics in the investigated population. In addition, the present study showed that marriage, acceptable financial status and high level of education could decrease self-medication with antibiotics.

Conclusions

In the current investigation, an alarming fact was that self-medication for dental problems seemed very common amongst the studied population. One of its most important consequences was bacterial resistance. Therefore, there should be plans to promote and prioritize public health awareness and encourage general public's motivation to reduce the practice of self-medication.

Reasons for late presentation for antenatal care, healthcare providers' perspective

BACKGROUND

Antenatal care (ANC) provides healthcare services to pregnant women in an attempt to ensure, the best possible pregnancy outcome for women and their babies. Healthcare providers' understanding of their patient's behaviour and reasons for engagement in care and their response to this insight can influence patient-provider interactions and patient demand for ANC early in pregnancy. We examined the insight of healthcare providers into women's reasons for starting ANC later than the South African National Department of Health's recommended 20 weeks gestation. We also looked at the impact of late ANC presentation on overall healthcare providers' work experiences and their response in their interactions with patients.

METHODS

In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 healthcare providers at Maternal Obstetrics Units (MOU) and Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC) in Gauteng, South Africa. Healthcare providers were selected with the assistance of the facility managers. Data analysis was conducted using the qualitative analysis software NVivo 11, using a thematic approach of pinpointing, examining, and recording patterns within the data.

RESULTS

Healthcare providers were aware of patients need for secrecy in the early stages of pregnancy because of fears of miscarriage and women's preference for traditional care. Women with prior pregnancies presumed to know about stages of pregnancy and neglected to initiate ANC early. Barriers to early ANC initiation also include, women's need to balance income generating activities; travel cost to the clinic and refusal of care for coming after the daily patient limit has been reached. Healthcare providers encounter negative attitudes from un-booked patients. This has a reciprocal effect whereby this experience impacts on whether healthcare providers will react with empathy or frustration.

CONCLUSIONS

Timing of ANC is influenced by the complex decisions women make during pregnancy, starting from accepting the pregnancy itself to acknowledging the need for ANC. To positively influence this decision making for the benefit of early ANC, barriers such as lack of knowledge should be addressed prior to pregnancy through awareness programmes. The relationship between healthcare providers and women should be emphasized when training healthcare providers and considered as an important factor that can affect the timing of ANC.

Beliefs about medicines in pregnancy: a survey using the beliefs about medicines questionnaire in Indonesia

Background Many studies examine the use of medicines among pregnant women, however few studies report the pregnant women's belief for taking medication during pregnancy. Individual factors such as patients' beliefs about their medications have been known to influence medication adherence. Objective This study aimed to examine beliefs about medicines among pregnant women in Indonesia and how these varied across pregnancy trimesters. Setting We conducted a cross-sectional survey of pregnant women who had regular visits at 63 community health centres in Surabaya, Indonesia. Methods Participants were approached while they were in the waiting room and were asked to complete the questionnaire. The survey package contained information about the study, an informed consent form, and the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ). Main outcome measure Beliefs about medicines were assessed using the BMQ, which comprises four subscales: general-overuse, general-harm, specific-necessity, and specific-concern. Differences in medication beliefs between pregnancy trimesters were assessed using suitable statistical tests according to data normality. Results A total of 492 pregnant women completed the survey. The majority were aged 21-30 years (57.1%), housemakers (68.7%), and educated to high-school level (51.4%); 92.9% did not have any chronic diseases, and more than 90% took vitamins and/or supplements. The difference between Specific-Concern and Specific-Necessity scores was calculated for each participant, and more than half of the participants (59.6%) were thus classified as having negative beliefs about medications. In the first trimester of pregnancy, women's beliefs about medication necessity were stronger than in the third trimester (p = 0.033). Conclusion Medication beliefs of pregnant women regarding their concerns and the necessity of medication taken in different trimesters of pregnancy were varied. The results of this study highlight the difference in medication beliefs during trimesters in pregnancy.

Self-Medication among Pregnant Women in Effutu and Agona West Municipalities of the Central Region of Ghana

Self-medication in pregnancy is a health concern in Ghana. We assessed the practice among 136 pregnant women in Effutu and Agona West Municipalities using facility-based, cross-sectional design and mixed method approach of data collection. Data analysis used SPSS and manual content analysis. Results show that pregnant women of all backgrounds self-medicate, with prevalence of 69%, motivated by cheaper treatment cost (17%), minor ailments (29%) and positive outcomes (33%). Commonly used medications include antibiotics (23%), pain killers (20%) and herbal preparations (19%). Preventing self-medication in pregnancy therefore requires awareness creation and evidence based Social Behavioral Change Communication on associated dangers.

Community-and proximate-level factors associated with perinatal mortality in Nigeria: evidence from a nationwide household survey

BACKGROUND

The perinatal mortality rate (PMR) in Nigeria rose by approximately 5% from 39 to 41 deaths per 1000 total births between 2008 and 2013, indicating a reversal in earlier gains. This study sought to identify factors associated with increased PMR.

METHODS

Nationally representative data including 31,121 pregnancies of 7 months or longer obtained from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey were used to investigate the community-, socio-economic-, proximate- and environmental-level factors related to perinatal mortality (PM). Generalized linear latent and mixed models with the logit link and binomial family that adjusted for clustering and sampling weights was employed for the analyses.

RESULTS

Babies born to obese women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13-1.89) and babies whose mothers perceived their body size after birth to be smaller than the average size (aOR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.61-2.30) showed greater odds of PM. Babies delivered through caesarean section were more likely to die (aOR = 2.85, 95% CI: 2.02-4.02) than those born through vaginal delivery. Other factors that significantly increased PM included age of the women (≥40 years), living in rural areas, gender (being male) and a fourth or higher birth order with a birth interval ≤ 2 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Newborn and maternal care interventions are needed, especially for rural communities, that aim at counselling women that are obese. Promoting well-timed caesarean delivery, Kangaroo mother care of small-for-gestational-age babies, child spacing, timely referral for ailing babies and adequate medical check-up for older pregnant women may substantially reduce PM in Nigeria.

[The use of phytotherapy during pregnancy: a global overview]

The scope of this study is to present an integrative review of the prevalence of the use of phytotherapy during pregnancy. A review of the topic was made by research in the Scielo, Medline and Science Direct databases using the following key words: "herbs and pregnancy," "plant and gestation," with their respective terms in Portuguese. Forty-six articles published between 2000 and 2015 met the study's inclusion and exclusion criteria and were included in this review. Of these, 11 were carried out in Europe, 10 in Asia, 5 in Africa, 3 in Oceania, 16 in America and only one of which was a multinational study. In most of these (67.39%), the interview method was used. A substantial variability in the prevalence of phytotherapy use was reported in the articles. In addition, camomile, ginger, garlic, mint and echinacea were the species most used by pregnant women. Despite the socioeconomic and ethnic-cultural variables among women worldwide, phytotherapy use during gestation is a widespread practice.

Exploring the effects of peri-partum ingestion of traditional medicine on maternal and foetal outcomes: a prospective cohort study

Objective

In Africa, 80% of women ingest traditional medicine (TM) during pregnancy. Although widely used in Cameroon, no study in has either demonstrated its safety or effectiveness. Hence, we sought to determine the effects of TM ingestions during the peri-partum period on maternal and foetal outcomes. A cohort study was conducted from January to April 2016 in two referral maternity departments of Cameroon. We consecutively enrolled all consenting parturients with gestational age above 28 weeks. We divided them into two groups; exposed and unexposed. The exposure studied was ingestion of TM within 72 h prior to delivery. Variables studied were socio-demographic characteristics, type and frequency of TM ingested and details of labour.

Results

We enrolled a total of 603 parturients of whom 147 in the exposed group and 456 in the non-exposed group. The most frequently used TM were honey and Triumfetta pentandra A. Ingestion of TM in the peri-paritum period was associated with intra-partum vaginal bleeding, dystocic labour, tachysystole and uterine atony. No adverse neonatal outcome was observed. Overall, these findings could help guide the direction of future research into the safety and potential benefits of peri-partum TM use, as well as serving as a preliminary reference for counselling.

Herbal medicine use during breastfeeding: a cross-sectional study among mothers visiting public health facilities in the Western area of Sierra Leone

BACKGROUND

The use of medications, including herbal medicines during breastfeeding is always a concern among women. Currently, there is no published evidence on whether Sierra Leonean women use herbal medicine during breastfeeding. This study investigates the prevalence, correlates and pattern of herbal medicine use during breastfeeding.

METHODOLOGY

We conducted a cross-sectional study among 378 current breastfeeding mothers visiting public healthcare facilities within the Western area of Sierra Leone. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were used for data analysis.

RESULTS

Over a third of mothers (n = 140, 37.0%) used herbal medicine during breastfeeding. However, very few herbal medicine users (2.1%, n = 3) used herbal medicine to augment breastfeeding. Dietary changes were the most common method used to increase breast milk supply (93.9%, n = 355) with cassava leaves sauce and tubers being the most common dietary addition. Mothers with children more than six months old were more likely to use herbal medicine than mothers with younger children (OR:1.8; CI:1.13-2.85,p = 0.013). Among herbal medicine users, only 11.4% (n = 16) disclosed their herbal medicine use to their conventional healthcare providers.

CONCLUSION

The use of herbal medicine among breastfeeding mothers attending public health facilities in the Western area of Sierra Leone is common. Whilst this use is not usually specific to increasing breast milk supply, our study indicates that herbal medicines may be used to 'cleanse' initial breast milk.

'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.

METHODS

A sample of 30, conveniently selected pregnant women, were involved in this study from April 11 to June 22, 2017. Data from three different focus group discussions were thematically analysed and presented based on an a posteriori inductive reduction approach.

RESULTS

The main findings were that pregnant women used herbal medicine, most commonly ginger, peppermint, thyme, chamomile, aniseeds, green tea, tealeaf, raspberry, and echinacea leaf consistently throughout the three trimesters of pregnancy. Cultural norms and health beliefs in the form of personal philosophies, desire to manage one's own health, illness perceptions, and a holistic healing approach were ascribed to the widespread use of herbs.

CONCLUSION

We recommend public education and awareness on disclosure of herbal medicine use to medical practitioners among pregnant women.

Prenatal developmental toxicity evaluation of Verbena officinalis during gestation period in female Sprague-Dawley rats

Verbena officinalis is widely used by women for maintaining general health and treating various gynaecological disorders during pregnancy. A case report has indicated that the consumption of V. officinalis induced an abortifacient effect. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the prenatal developmental toxicity of this plant according to OECD guideline (no. 414). A total of 50 pregnant female rats (dams) were distributed into five groups (n = 10); 500 mg/kg 1000 mg/2000 mg/kg and 3000 mg/kg of V. offcinalis extracts and the fifth group served as a normal control. All dams received their respective oral single daily treatment from the 6th to the 20th day of gestation. Maternal clinical toxicity signs, body weight and weight gain were recorded. Caesarean sections were performed on day 21 to evaluate embryo-foetal developmental toxicity. For dams, ovaries were harvested and weighed. The number of corpora lutea, implantation sites, and resorptions were recorded. No mortality was observed in dams, but their body weight gain was significantly reduced particularly in dams treated with 2000 and 3000 mg/kg V. officinalis. Asymmetrical distribution of implantation sites and embryos were observed. Embryo-fetotoxicity retardation was observed as evident by the decrease in foetal weight, head cranium, tail length, and higher incidence in the pre-and post-implantation loss. Some foetal skeleton abnormalities such as incomplete ossification of skull, sternebrae, and metatarsal bones were observed in foetuses of the 2000 and 3000 mg/kg V. officinalis-treated dams. LC/MS analysis identified the major constituents including geniposidic acid, tuberonic acid glucoside, luteolin 7, 3'-digalacturonide, iridotrial and apigenin. The glycosylated flavonoids such as apigenin and luteolin could be responsible for the reported prenatal developmental toxicity. In conclusion, the use of V. officinalis during pregnancy is not safe indicating evidence-based toxic effects on the reproductive performance of dams and dose-dependent risk potentials to the foetuses.

Does knowledge on socio-cultural factors associated with maternal mortality affect maternal health decisions? A cross-sectional study of the Greater Accra region of Ghana

Background

The concern of all maternal health stakeholders is to improve maternal health and reduce maternal deaths to the barest minimum. This remains elusive in low and middle-income countries as the majority of factors that drive maternal deaths stem from the socio-cultural environment especially in rural settings. This study was aimed at finding out if knowledge on socio-cultural factors related to maternal mortality affects maternal health decisions in rural Ghana.

Methods

Community-based cross-sectional in design, the study involved 233 participants from 3 rural districts in the Greater Accra Region. Mixed-method of data collection was employed after informed consent. Quantitative data were analyzed using simple statistics, Fisher’s Exact Test of independence and crude odds ratio were used to interpret the results, whilst the FGDs were recorded, transcribed and analyzed based on themes.

Results

Statistically, significant relationship exists between all the socio-cultural factors studied (Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), religious beliefs and practices, herbal concoctions, and pregnancy and childbirth-related taboos) and maternal health decisions (p = 0.001 for all the variables) with very strong associations between maternal health decisions and knowledge on pregnancy and childbirth related taboos, TBA patronage, and religious beliefs and practices (OR = 21.06; 13; 7.28 respectively). However, misconceptions on factors associated with maternal mortality deeply rooted in rural communities partly explain why maternal morbidity and mortality are persistent in Ghana.

Conclusion

Meaningful and successful interventions on maternal mortality can only be achieved if misconceptions on causes of maternal mortality especially in rural areas of the country are tackled through mass education of communities. This should be done consistently over a long period of time for sustained behavioral change.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12884-019-2197-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Herbal medicine use by pregnant women in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study

Background

Herbal medicines in pregnancy are increasingly used worldwide with prevalence of up to 67%. Although this popularity is mainly because of the common belief that these medicines are safe, recent reports suggest that several herbal medicines are potentially harmful to mother and fetus if used in pregnancy.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in July and August of year 2017, at maternity wards of two public hospitals in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Postpartum women were interviewed via the structured questionnaire to collect information regarding socio-demographic and health characteristics, patterns of herbal medicines used in the previous pregnancy, and outcome of pregnancy.

Results

Two hundred forty-three postpartum women participated in the study, with 70% of them using at least one modality of herbal medicines in previous pregnancy. Ginger, black seed, lemon tea, prune, and mustard oil were most commonly used herbal medicines. Herbal medicines were mostly used for pregnancy-related symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and cold. Fifteen (8.8%) herbal medicine users reported side effects.

Conclusions

This study highlights popularity of herbal medicines during pregnancy in Bangladesh. Previous herbal medicine users and unemployed women turned significantly more to herbal medicines during pregnancy. Reports of side effects and use of some potentially harmful modalities warrant awareness regarding proper use of herbal medicines in pregnancy and its pharmacovigilance.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12906-018-2399-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.