Prevalence and Factors Associated with Herbal Medicine Use Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Ogun State, South West Nigeria

The concurrent use of herbal medicines and conventional pharmaceuticals during pregnancy raises important safety concerns due to potential herb-drug interactions and the limited clinical evidence on herbal medicine safety in obstetric populations. This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence, types, and factors associated with herbal medicine use among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in selected hospitals in Ogun State, South West Nigeria. A total of 350 pregnant women were surveyed using structured questionnaires. Variables assessed included sociodemographic characteristics, gestational age, health literacy, cultural beliefs, and disclosure of herbal use to healthcare providers. The prevalence of herbal medicine use was found to be 54.3 percent, with ginger, bitter leaf, and uda seed among the most commonly used preparations. Use was more prevalent among women in their second and third trimesters and among those with primary school education and rural residence. Only 22 percent of herbal medicine users disclosed their use to antenatal care providers, citing fear of disapproval as the primary reason for non-disclosure. Cultural recommendations from family members were the leading motivator for use. The findings call for non-judgmental communication strategies among midwives and pharmacists to encourage disclosure and enable safer antenatal care. Pharmacists embedded in maternal health settings should be empowered to counsel on herbal medicine safety. Keywords: herbal medicine, pregnancy, antenatal care, Ogun State, herb-drug interactions