Indigenous Herbal Medicine Use and its Associated Factors among Pregnant Women attending antenatal care at Public Health Facilities in Dire Dawa Administration, EasternEthiopia, 2022

Abstract

Background: Indigenous herbal medicine use during pregnancy is a common phenomenon worldwide, particularly in low resource countries like Ethiopia, mainly due to their cost, perceived efficiency in treatment, and ease of access. But so far, studies across Ethiopia are variable and inconsistent and in the study area. Therefore, this study was aimed at assessing indigenous herbal medicine use and its associated factors among pregnant women. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted in public health facilities in the Dire Dawa Administration, eastern Ethiopia, from October 10 to November 10, 2022, among pregnant women selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a pre-tested structured questionnaire, and data were entered and cleaned by Epi DATA (Version 3.1) and analyzed using SPSS (Version 22). A P-value < 0.25 at bivariate to select variables for multivariate and ≤ 0.05 at multivariate with 95% confidence intervals was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 628 participants were included, yielding a response rate of 95.15 %. During their current pregnancy, 47.8% (95% CI: 43.8–51.6%) pregnant women used indigenous herbal medicine(IHMs). The predictors were education level: no formal education (AOR: 5.47, 95%CI: 2.40-12.46), primary level (AOR: 4.74, 95%CI: 2.15-10.44), rural residence (AOR: 2.54, 95%CI: 1.71-3.77), being a housewife (AOR: 4.15, 95%CI: 1.83-9.37), number of antenatal care visits (AOR: 2.58, 95%CI: 1.27-5.25), and knowledge of IHMs (AOR: 4.58, 95% CI: 3.02-6.97). Conclusion: The use of indigenous herbal medicine during pregnancy was as common and widespread as other research done in different areas. The predictors were residence, education level, occupation, number of antenatal care visits, and knowledge. The most commonly used herbal medicines were Lepidium sativum, Vernonia amygdalina, Moringa oleifera, Linum usitatissimum, Zingiber officinale, Eucalyptusglobulus, and Trigonella foenum-graecum. The most common indications were related to gastro-intestinal problems: intestinal parasites, nausea and vomiting, constipation, stomach aches, indigestion, and abdominal cramps. It was recommended that, considering their residence and education level, pregnant women during their ANC visits be made aware of the potential benefits and risks of indigenous herbal medicine, and that more research be conducted to confirm their efficacy and safety during pregnancy.