Medicinal Plant Use in Reproductive Health Disorders

Abstract

Information gathered on the behavior of outpatients with regards to treating reproductive health disorders is reported. The information was gathered at the Reproductive Health Unit, University Training Hospital / 'Institut Hygiene Sociale', Antananarivo, Madagascar during the six-month period of May - October 1999. Gonorrhea (42.51%) and genital ulcer (13.18%) of cases were the dominant reproductive health disorders presented by patients. 50.83% of the 358 patients suffering from gonorrhea and 39.63% of the 111 patients with genital ulcer used medicinal plants to treat their disorders. The results obtained from examining these patients at the hospital seem to reveal a justification of their use of medicinal plants for these reproductive health problems. All patients who took medicinal plants in both cases of gonorrhea and genital ulcer showed none of the reported disorders. The need to identify the plants used by these patients in order to explore the wider and safe use for these reproductive health disorders is called for. Similarly (and probably more importantly) is the need to look for those prescribing these plants (the traditional medical practitioners) so as to find out ways to enable them to work in partnership with the modern medical practitioner in the area of reproductive health.