Medicinal Plant Use in Reproductive Health Disorders

Abstract

Information gathered on the behavior of outpatients with regards to treating reproductive health disorders is re- ported. 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 present- ed by patients. 50.83% of the 358 patients suffering from gonorrhea and 39.63% of the 111 patients with genital ul- cer 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 me- dicinal plants for these reproductive health problems. All patients who took medicinal plants in both cases of gonor- rhea and genital ulcer showed none of the reported dis- orders. The need to identify the plants used by these patients in order to explore the wider and safe use for these repro- ductive health disorders is called for. Similarly (and prob- ably more importantly) is the need to look for those pre- scribing these plants (the traditional medical practitioners) so as to find out ways to enable them to work in partner- ship with the modern medical practitioner in the area of reproductive health.