Page 45 - IJPS-10-3

International Journal of
Population Studies Traditional practices of herbal medicine in Malawi

“During pregnancy, what happens is that you decide on grounds of non-cooperation. The following narrative
that I wish to have a smooth or normal delivery so I reveals the case:
need to do what? Avoid what happened in the past, “Additionally, for fear of being abandoned by the
aaah operation…so I should go to the traditional birth guardian at the hospital, you just take the herbal
attendant [to] get herbal medicine so that I should end medicine…” (Participant #2 FGD1).
up with what… a normal delivery…” (Participant #1
FGD3) 3.2.5. Encouragement from peers (friends)
“So [most of] the problems that one has experienced The study also found that some women used herbal
in life influence them to use herbal medicine in medicine due to peer pressure and influence from their
pregnancy…” (Participant #4 FGD3) friends.

3.2.2. Quick relief from labor pain “I heard from friends that there is a traditional birth
attendant somewhere who assist with herbal medicine
Other participants indicated that pain experienced when you are pregnant, so I went [to get] some…”
during the process of labor influences one to consider (Participant #2 FGD2)
using herbal medicine to relieve the pain. The following “I also heard from my friends whilst chatting and she
participant said: convinced to use herbal medicine…” (Participant #6 FGD4).
“At the time you are being given the herbal medicine, you
are mostly in severe pain/agony…so for you to say aah 3.2.6. Self-motivation
don’t give me the herbal medicine while what you just Two women from the FGDs alluded to the fact that they
want that time is to get the possible relief from what have not been influenced by others to use herbal medicine,
is bothering you so that it leaves your body, it is not but in fact, they would like to attempt due to their own
possible…” (Participant #1 FGD1). personal motivation. When questioned further about what
Additionally, another participant said: inspired them to use herbal medicine in the first place, they
“And the severity of the labour pain makes you think of did not elaborate, but cited their intrinsic motivation to use
taking the herbal medicine...” (Participant #3 FGD3). as the reason. The following quotes illustrate these reasons:
“So those are the issues that influence other women to
3.2.3. Hastened delivery process seek care from traditional birth attendants.but some
Some of the women claimed that they were influenced to really depend on the hospital care...so the use of herbal
use herbal medicine because it was perceived as a catalyst medicine depends on one’s choice and not from what we
of delivery process. Regarding this perceived function of hear from the radio...” (Participant #3 FGD3)
herbal medicine, several participants said: “As for me, it was my own influence…” (Participant #1
FGD3).
“When you take herbal medicine you deliver fast, it
works faster for you so that you rest from labor…” 3.3. Sources of information about herbal medicine
(Participant #5 FGD1). use
“The overall reason is that the woman aims [for] a quick In this study, we found that information about herbal
delivery…” (Participant #2 FGD1) medicine use was readily available in the villages under
“We as village people really depend on herbal medicine study. For these women, information regarding herbal
because we see that when we take herbal medicine medicine use during pregnancy, labor, and delivery came
we deliver fast and normally without problems…” from different sources (Table 3). The interviews revealed
(Participant #1 FGD2). that most participants heard of herbal medicine from their
friends, parents, and traditional birth attendants.
3.2.4. Fear of abandonment by guardians during child
birth 3.3.1. Peers (friends)
Some participants indicated that herbal medicine is The majority of participants equated the peers, such as
sometimes taken because of the fear of being neglected friends and other women, as the sources for obtaining
in the hospital by the guardians if they refuse to take information about herbal medicine use. The following
the medicine. This mostly happens when the herbal quotes illustrate this:
medicine is given by the guardian who perceives that the “I have really ever used herbal medicine, but I did not
hospitalization stay will extend if herbal medicine is not see any benefit at all…I just got carried away…but I
consumed. When left with no choice, some women choose had no problem [taking] herbal medicine …but friends
to comply in order not to be abandoned by the guardian advised to go to traditional birth attendant as labor

Volume 10 Issue 3 (2024) 39 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.0296