Page 48 - IJPS-10-3

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

in Malawi. This suggests that targeting peer social networks 2014). However, in the context of this study, less influence
is crucial to strengthening health information dissemination from the radio could be attributed to difficulty in receiving
system regarding the use of herbal medicine. Parents and/ radio signals in rural areas. Besides, nowadays, people tend
or guardians were also found to be the key sources of to access news and other information through social media
herbal medicine use. Similar findings have been presented platforms, which are installed on mobile phones, instead of
in a systematic review, which reveals that pregnant women from the radio (Laor, 2022). Health policymakers should
obtain the information from their family and friends (Dante consider involving traditional birth attendants, who,
et al., 2013). Although the participants in the previous studies instead of preaching the benefits of herbal medicine, help
were more highly educated than those in this study, both to promulgate the adverse effects of the herbal medicines
groups of participants were in a range of median to average whose efficacy and safety have yet to be tested.
age. This implies that age or education background does not
affect whether someone is the source of information about 4.1. Strengths and limitations
herbal medicine use. Community interventions regarding The study’s diverse and normative views from women
herbal medicine use during pregnancy are significant as of different age groups and parity are the main strength
they serve to disseminate information on the implications of of this study. This study also contributes to the literature
herbal medicine use during pregnancy. on information sources and factors influencing the use
Although herbal medicine is not incorporated as a of herbal medicine during pregnancy and childbirth in
treatment in Malawi, it is interesting to note that some Malawi. However, given the limited size of sample recruited
nurses persuade women to use herbal medicine. Participants from the same geographic location (rural Lilongwe),
narrated that midwives at antenatal clinic sometimes tend the results of this study can hardly be generalized to
to advise the women to use Chidede or avocado tree leaves other populations. In addition, the research question
to improve their blood levels in case of anemia. Other “why women would decide to use during pregnancy and
researchers have reported that part of the suggestions to use childbirth?” remains unanswered.
natural medicine may also come from clinicians (Dante et al., 5. Conclusions and future directions
2013; Kennedy et al., 2013). Nevertheless, medical personnel
have never been formally educated about the efficacy and The study revealed that many factors influence herbal
side effect of herbal medicine. The little information they medicine use during pregnancy and child birth, ranging from
provided may lead to unpleasant outcomes because these previous labor experiences to external pressures. The reasons
herbal medicines are not regulated in terms of safety and to use herbal medicine are also dependent on the types of
efficacy. The HBM indicates that care providers are among information sources, such as friends, parents, and traditional
the “cues to action” that motivate women to use herbal birth attendants. To demystify some of the perceptions
medicine. To avoid disastrous consequences, care providers influencing herbal medicine use among rural women in
are advised to be well-informed about risks associated with Malawi, we can devise tailor-made interventions based on
herbal medicine use (Holroyd et al., 2008). these factors. Furthermore, health professionals need to
work hand in hand with community-based health structures
Most of the participants in the present study narrated
that pregnant women visit traditional birth attendants to educate and provide accurate information regarding
weekly to obtain herbal medicine, which is thought to be the use of herbal medicine. Such efforts may contribute to
able to sustain pregnancy and well prepare them for delivery. the reduction of maternal mortality rates in rural areas of
Malawi and increase the provision of better maternal and
Some indicated that when a complication arises in the reproductive health services. We believe the findings of
process of labor in the hospital, the guardians may contact
the traditional birth attendant to bring herbs to the hospital. the present study shed light on how the community-led
This phenomenon establishes traditional birth attendants pathways can be exploited in influencing the decision to use
herbal medicine among women in rural areas of Malawi.
as an important source of information on herbal medicine
use during pregnancy and childbirth. This finding is similar Acknowledgments
to that of Adejoh et al. (2020b), who reported that women
seek delivery care from traditional birth attendants that We are grateful to all study participants who agreed to
use herbal medicine to lessen pain and facilitate a smooth participate in this study.
delivery. Although radio was the least mentioned source of Funding
information in this study, studies elsewhere indicate that
radio and market advertisements are important sources of This work was produced as part of masters’ study of the
information on use of herbal medicine (Miles, 1998; Ekor, corresponding author at Kamuzu University of Health

Volume 10 Issue 3 (2024) 42 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.0296