Herbal concoction usage before labor, mode of preparation, and association with child and maternal outcomes in urban Ghana: a concurrent mixed-method study.
- 1Department of Sociology and Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences, College of Humanties and Social Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, 00233, Ghana. [email protected].
- 2Department of Sociology and Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences, College of Humanties and Social Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, 00233, Ghana.
Abstract
Background
This study explored herbal concoction use before labor, mode of preparation and association with child and maternal outcomes in urban Ghana.Methods
The study employed a concurrent mixed-method design involving 376 mothers at Tafo Government Hospital and Manhyia District Hospital in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Women who had given birth and were within first to sixth weeks after delivery and consented to interview were engaged for quantitative interviews. Women who indicated ever using herbal concoction were selected for qualitative interviews. Thematic analysis informed the qualitative analysis while the quantitative data was analyzed using a binary logistic regression model with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant.Results
Knowledge of herbal concoctions was high among 358 (95.6%). Prevalence of herbal usage was reported among 67(17.9%). The majority of the women who used herbal concoctions took it throughout their pregnancy 32 (47.7%), used it to induce labor 23 (34.3%) and produced desired results for 64 (95.5%) users. Women of age 26 and above [aOR = 2.150, 95% CI = 1.342-3.446, p = 0.001] were 2.15 times more likely to use herbal concoctions during pregnancy compared to those of lesser years 15-25. Women with other occupations [aOR = 2.677, 95% CI = 1.402-5.110, p = 0.003] were more than 2 ½ times more likely to use herbal concoctions compared to those in the security and banking sectors. Women who underwent episiotomy had significantly higher odds of taking herbal medicines during pregnancy [aOR = 5.576, 95% CI = 2.360-13.178, p = 0.001] than those who did not undergo episiotomy. Mothers with complication experience after birth had reduced odds of consuming herbal concoctions [aOR = 0.286, 95% CI = 0.094-0.870, p = 0.027] prior to labour. Thematic analysis revealed women used concoctions to facilitate labor, for therapeutic value, while socio-cultural influence and secrecy shielded herbal concoction use prior to labour from healthcare providers.Conclusion
Implementing evidence-based educational programs on the possible dangers of using herbal concoctions and correct use where evidence supports efficacy of use remains an effective way of decreasing the abuse and incorrect usage of herbal medication by pregnant women in Ghana.
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BibTeX
@article{appiah2026herbal,
title = {{Herbal concoction usage before labor, mode of preparation, and association with child and maternal outcomes in urban Ghana: a concurrent mixed-method study.}},
author = {Seth Christopher Yaw Appiah and Abigail Nkromah Asieduwaa and Martin Klu and Dorcas Sekyi and Andrew Nketsia Arthur and Richard Ofori},
journal = {BMC complementary medicine and therapies},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s12906-026-05474-4},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42928208},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Herbal concoction usage before labor, mode of preparation, and association with child and maternal outcomes in urban Ghana: a concurrent mixed-method study.
AU - Seth Christopher Yaw Appiah
AU - Abigail Nkromah Asieduwaa
AU - Martin Klu
AU - Dorcas Sekyi
AU - Andrew Nketsia Arthur
AU - Richard Ofori
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/28
JO - BMC complementary medicine and therapies
DO - 10.1186/s12906-026-05474-4
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42928208
AB - Background This study explored herbal concoction use before labor, mode of preparation and association with child and maternal outcomes in urban Ghana.Methods The study employed a concurrent mixed-method design involving 376 mothers at Tafo Government Hospital and Manhyia District Hospital in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Women who had given birth and were within first to sixth weeks after delivery and consented to interview were engaged for quantitative interviews. Women who indicated ever using herbal concoction were selected for qualitative interviews. Thematic analysis informed the qualitative analysis while the quantitative data was analyzed using a binary logistic regression model with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant.Results Knowledge of herbal concoctions was high among 358 (95.6%). Prevalence of herbal usage was reported among 67(17.9%). The majority of the women who used herbal concoctions took it throughout their pregnancy 32 (47.7%), used it to induce labor 23 (34.3%) and produced desired results for 64 (95.5%) users. Women of age 26 and above [aOR = 2.150, 95% CI = 1.342-3.446, p = 0.001] were 2.15 times more likely to use herbal concoctions during pregnancy compared to those of lesser years 15-25. Women with other occupations [aOR = 2.677, 95% CI = 1.402-5.110, p = 0.003] were more than 2 ½ times more likely to use herbal concoctions compared to those in the security and banking sectors. Women who underwent episiotomy had significantly higher odds of taking herbal medicines during pregnancy [aOR = 5.576, 95% CI = 2.360-13.178, p = 0.001] than those who did not undergo episiotomy. Mothers with complication experience after birth had reduced odds of consuming herbal concoctions [aOR = 0.286, 95% CI = 0.094-0.870, p = 0.027] prior to labour. Thematic analysis revealed women used concoctions to facilitate labor, for therapeutic value, while socio-cultural influence and secrecy shielded herbal concoction use prior to labour from healthcare providers.Conclusion Implementing evidence-based educational programs on the possible dangers of using herbal concoctions and correct use where evidence supports efficacy of use remains an effective way of decreasing the abuse and incorrect usage of herbal medication by pregnant women in Ghana.
SN - 2662-7671
ER -