The use of herbal products by pregnant and lactating mothers without awareness of their
harmful effects may expose both mother and fetus or infant to great dangers, such as
abortion, premature delivery, uterine bleeding, and physical and mental retardation of the
fetus. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which herbal product
treatment is used and the reason for which such products are used and to ensure that
these reasons are correct. An ethnopharmacological survey (cross-sectional
observational design study) using a pre-piloted questionnaire was undertaken on herbal
products used by pregnant and lactating women in the West Bank area of Palestine. A
questionnaire was distributed to 350 pregnant and lactating women. The informed
consent forms, ethics, and aims of the present study were reviewed and approved by
the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at An-Najah National University. To identify the most
important species used, the use value (UV) index was employed, while the SPSS program
was used to analyze the data. Collected data revealed that 13 medicinal plants are utilized,
while 12 plants are not used during pregnancy. Moreover, 15 plants are utilized and 9
plants are not used during lactation for treating and dealing with various problems. The
most commonly used plants belonged to 14 families, including Lamiaceae, Apiaceae,
Leguminosae, and Rubiaceae. The plants most used during pregnancy were sage (Salvia
fruticosa), anise (Pimpinella anisum), and peppermint (Mentha × piperita). Castor (Ricinus
communis) oil, ginger (Zingiber officinale), saffron (Crocus sativus), and senna (Senna
alexandrina) mostly were not used by pregnant women. Moreover, cinnamon
(Cinnamomum verum), anise (P. anisum), peppermint (M. piperita), and sage (S.
fruticosa) were mostly used during lactation. Castor (R. communis) oil, ginger (Z.
officinale), garlic (Allium sativum), and aloe (Aloe vera) mostly were not used during
lactation. This study is of great importance in order to decrease the possibility of
endangering the lives of fetuses and infants. A combined effort among researchers,
scientists, lactating women, and pregnant women may help in changing wrong uses and
thoughts about medicinal plants and help to improve the overall health of both mother
and fetus.

العنوان

Frontiers in Pharmacology

الناشر

Frontiers Media S.A.

بلد الناشر

سويسرا

Indexing

Thomson Reuters

معامل التأثير

3,845

نوع المنشور

Both (Printed and Online)

المجلد

11

السنة

2020

الصفحات

46