Use of herbal medicine during pregnancy and labour among women in Chienge District, Zambia

Background/Aims Use of herbal medicine during pregnancy and labour places women and fetuses at risk of poor health outcomes. In Zambia, use of herbal medicine among pregnant women is progressively increasing despite a lack of evidence regarding their safety and effectiveness. This study's aim was to explore the use of herbal medicine during pregnancy among women in Chienge District, Zambia. Methods This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with 380 pregnant women from five health facilities in Chienge District, selected using stratified sampling. Participants were selected by simple random sampling, and data were collected through an interview schedule. Data were analysed using Chi-squared tests and binary logistic regression. Results Approximately half (54%) of the participants used herbal medicine, mainly to reduce labour pain, accelerate its progress or prevent difficulties. Parity (P=0.007), attitude (P=0.001), cultural beliefs (P=0.001) and distance from a health facility (P=0.006) were significantly associated with the use of herbal medicine. After adjusting for possible confounders, cultural beliefs (odds ratio=4.524, P=0.001) and distance to health facility (odds ratio=1.879, P=0.045) were significant predictors of the use of herbal medicine, while those with negative attitudes to herbal medicine were less likely to use it (odds ratio 0.054, P=0.001). Conclusions Women in the Chienge District used herbal medicine during pregnancy and labour. Several factors influenced the use of herbal medicine during pregnancy and labour, indicating a need for community sensitisation on the dangers of its use. Implications for practice Healthcare professionals should discuss the use of herbal medicine in an open and non-judgmental manner. Further studies are needed to establish the efficacy and safety of traditional herbal medicines.