Speaker
Description
Background
The use of herbal medicine during pregnancy is widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, yet its regulation, safety, and clinical implications are often overlooked. In Ghana’s Fanteakwa North District, pregnant women often turn to traditional remedies without guidance. Understanding the drivers of this behavior is critical to safeguarding maternal and fetal health. This study examined prevalence and predictors of herbal medicine use among postnatal women in the district.
Methods
A facility-based analytic cross-sectional study was conducted among 425 postnatal clinic attendees, selected across six sub-districts. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and analyzed with STATA version 18. The primary outcome was herbal medicine utilization. Descriptive statistics were used to determine prevalence. Logistic regression identified factors associated with herbal medicine use, with adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) reported. Significance was set at p ≤ 0.05.
Results
Herbal medicine use during pregnancy was reported by 84.5% [95% CI: 80.6%–87.7%] of participants. Predictors included age 30–39 years (aOR = 2.57; 95% CI: 1.76–3.76), multigravidity (aOR = 4.89; 95% CI: 3.12–7.63), marital status (aOR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.03–2.96), secondary/higher education (aOR = 1.95; 95% CI: 1.20–3.17), self-employment (aOR = 1.60; 95% CI: 1.08–2.38), and Christian religion (aOR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.03–2.04). Over one-third did not disclose use to healthcare providers.
Conclusion
Herbal medicine use in pregnancy is shaped by demographic, cultural, and access factors, emphasizing the need for policies that integrate traditional and formal care, encourage open disclosure, and safeguard maternal health.
Keywords: Herbal Medicine, Pregnancy, Utilization
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