FACTORS INFLUENCING THE USE OF KALIGU-TIM (HERBAL MEDICINE) DURING PREGNANCY AND LABOUR AMONG POSTNATALWOMEN IN TOLON DISTRICT

Abstract

The increased use of herbal medicine and/or products is noticed all over the world. The safety of herbal drugs becomes particularly important in pregnant women and children. Despite the fact that available data are insufficient to justify herbal use during pregnancy, exposure to herbal products in unspecified quantities among pregnant women is of great concern. The study sought to assess the determinants of the use of kaligu-tim, a known local oxytocin and its impact on the maternal birth outcomes among women in the Tolon district of Ghana. The study design employed was a descriptive cross-sectional study which involved 339 women attending postnatal care and/or child welfare clinic across the district using quantitative methods of data collection. A structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data. The selection of the study participants was by systematic sampling and the main outcome variables were the proportion of mothers who used herbal medicine, determinants and effects on maternal birth outcomes. Quantitative data was coded and entered into SPSS version 22.0 database and later exported into STATA version 13 for analysis. The results showed that 64.9% and 45.4% of respondents used local oxytocin in their previous and current pregnancies respectively; 5.5% of respondents did so during the first trimester, 26.8% during the second trimester and 67.7% in the third trimester. The study found a significant relationship between herbal medication use and health service-related challenges, maternal age group (p<0.009), gestational term at delivery (p<0.019), parity of the respondents (p<0.015) and mothers’ ethnicity (p<0.001). Previous and current use of Kaligu-tim reduced birth weight by 26g and 34.3g respectively, though these were not statistically significant. However, previous history of kaligu-tim was significantly associated with perinatal asphyxia, postpartum haemorrhage, obstructed labour and foetal distress in their subsequent deliveries. It can be concluded that the use of this Kaligu-tim posed a greater long term health challenge for mothers and their babies. Further studies are required to assess the overall health impact of kaligu-tim on the reproductive health of women using kaligu-tim during pregnancy.