Medicinal Plants Used for Antenatal and Postnatal Care in Ondo Town, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction

Plants used in traditional medicine by different ethnic groups define the field of ethnomedicine, a subfield of ethnobotany. A preliminary survey revealed that Ondo women still engage in the services of traditional birth attendants till the present day.

Methods

Structured questionnaires and personal interviews were used to obtain information from 124 respondents, consisting of males and females.

Results

The major plant part used were leaves with a frequency of 35%. Some of the plants reported were solely administered, while others were administered in combination with other plants. The traditional solvents commonly used were water and coconut water. The main methods of herbal preparation were decoction and soups. The methods of administration ranged from half a cup or 2 taken 2–3 times daily.

Conclusions

This study has increased our knowledge of Ondo womens’ antenatal and postnatal care practices. Proper documentation of these traditional claims pending scientific validation is necessarily recommended.