Utilisation of traditional medicines among pregnant women in Chilanga: A case study of Nakachenje Mini Hospital in Chilanga District, Lusaka Province.

Abstract

The use of traditional medicines during pregnancy and childbirth is widespread and has been documented in many countries. Traditional medical practices have been passed down through generations and are deeply in cultural beliefs and traditions. The study explores the utilization of traditional medicines among pregnant women in Chilanga: A case study of Nakachenje Mini Hospital. This study is qualitative research driven by a grounded theory design. The population was restricted to key informants in health, and pregnant women attending antenatal services at Nakachenje Mini Hospital in Chilanga District of Lusaka Province in Zambia. The method of data collection used were semi-structured interviews with Twelve (12) pregnant women, Two (2) Focus Group Discussions with pregnant women (9 and 10 participants respectively), and Two (2) Key informant interviews. The data were thematically analyzed. A total of Thirty-three (33) participants which included thirty-one (31) women of reproductive age eighteen years and above and Two (2) key informants who were midwives from the hospital were recruited and interviewed. Three main themes emerged from the interviews: (1) Knowledge and Attitude of traditional medicine use during pregnancy; (i) Perceived benefits, (ii) perceived risks and (iii) Cultural practices and beliefs (2) Types of commonly used herbs (i) Traditional medicine for labor inducing and quickening, (ii) Traditional medicine to prevent complications due to the partner being sexually unfaithful, (iii) Traditional medicine to helping with morning sickness and (iv)Traditional medicine to boost blood in pregnancy and (3) Communication between pregnant women and healthcare providers (i) Non-disclosure of traditional medicine use by pregnant women. As seen from the study, many pregnant women prefer to use traditional medicines during their pregnancy for the perceived benefits and cultural beliefs. Despite this, all the key informants in the study still felt that herbal medicines may have more adverse effects on both the mother and the baby as compared to conventional medicines. The use of traditional medicines among pregnant women brings about serious encounters for health professionals, as most herbs are not made aware of if taken or not by pregnant women. Key words: Utilization, Traditional medicines, herbs, Pregnant women, Chilanga