ArticleBMC complementary and alternative medicine2019
'We are nothing without herbs': a story of herbal remedies use during pregnancy in rural Ghana.
Article in BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 35 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
35 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 88 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence of herbal medicine use for maternal conditions in Tanzania: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Pooled it
- Patient-physician communication on herbal medicine use during pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ global health · 2024Pooled it
- Use of Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Frontiers in medicine · 2022Pooled it
- Traditional Medicine Utilisation Among Pregnant Women in Sub-saharan African Countries: A Systematic Review of Literature.Inquiry : a journal of medical care organization, provision and financingPooled it
- Perception among adult sickle cell patients on the use of herbal medicine in the management of sickle cell disease in Ghana: a qualitative study.Journal of community genetics · 2026Article
- Usage of traditional medicine during pregnancy and the associated factors among Basotho women.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2025Article
- Women's experiences with the use of traditional medicine during childbirth in selected areas of Zambia.PLOS global public health · 2025Article
- Integrating modern and herbal medicines in controlling malaria: experiences of orthodox healthcare providers in Ghana.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2024Article
- Perspectives of midwives on the use of Kaligutim (local oxytocin) for induction of labour among pregnant women in the government hospitals in Tamale.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2024Article
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- Understanding intimate self-care among riverine women: qualitative research through the lens of the Sunrise Model.Revista brasileira de enfermagem · 2024Article
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- Barriers and facilitators to self-measured blood pressure monitoring among US-resettled Arab refugees with hypertension: a qualitative study.BMC primary care · 2023Article
- The Sociocultural Influences on Breast Cancer Screening among Rural African Women in South Africa.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- The Determinants of Utilisation of Herbal Medicine Among Pregnant Women in the Asante Akim North District, Ghana.Maternal and child health journal · 2023Article
- They patronize herbal medicine, coincidence or planned behaviour: A case of hypertensive patients in Tamale?Nursing open · 2023Article
- Concurrent use of herbal and prescribed medicine by patients in primary health care clinics, South Africa.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2023Article
- Herbal medicine use during pregnancy and childbirth: perceptions of women living in Lilongwe rural, Malawi - a qualitative study.BMC women's health · 2023Article
- Concomitant use of medicinal plants and pharmaceutical drugs among pregnant women in southern Ethiopia.Heliyon · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundHerbal 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.
methodsA 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.
resultsThe 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.
conclusionWe recommend public education and awareness on disclosure of herbal medicine use to medical practitioners among pregnant women.
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