International Journal of Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Research

Background: The use of herbal medicine during pregnancy continues to pose a significant public health challenge in many Nigerian communities. Despite widespread use across sub-Saharan Africa, empirical evidence from primary healthcare settings in Ondo West Local Government Area remains scarce. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and prevalence of herbal medicine use among pregnant women attending primary health centers (PHCs) in Ondo West, Ondo State, Nigeria.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, 304 pregnant women attending antenatal care at ten selected PHCs were recruited. A structured, pretested questionnaire covering sociodemographics, knowledge, attitudes, and herbal medicine use was administered. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 30, with descriptive statistics presented as frequencies and percentages.

Results: A total of 254 (83.6%) respondents had heard of herbal medicine, but only 139 (45.7%) demonstrated good knowledge. Family (31.9%) and friends (30.6%) were the primary sources of information. More than half (51.6%) held a positive attitude toward herbal medicine, driven largely by cultural acceptability (53.3% strongly agreed). The prevalence of herbal medicine use during the current pregnancy was 41.1%, with neem, bitter leaf, and ginger being the most commonly used herbs. Only 16.4% of users disclosed their use to healthcare providers.

Conclusion: Despite high awareness, knowledge of the risks of herbal medicine during pregnancy is poor. Cultural acceptability drives use, while low disclosure to healthcare providers is alarming. Integrated antenatal health education, culturally sensitive counselling, and policy regulation of traditional medicine are urgently needed to safeguard maternal and fetal outcomes.

Herbal medicine, Pregnancy, Knowledge, Attitude, Nigeria, Primary healthcare, Antenatal care.

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