Department of midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
Trauma Nursing Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
BMC Complement Med Ther. 2021 Aug 17;21(1):211. doi: 10.1186/s12906-021-03353-8.
The incidence of application of medicinal herbs during pregnancy has increased significantly among women over the past years; however, the safety and efficacy of medicinal herbs during pregnancy are still unclear. The aim of the present study was to categorize the predictors of self-medication with herbal remedies during pregnancy based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB).
The present descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 300 pregnant women referred to Kashan health center to receive prenatal care services in 2020. The study participants were randomly selected using stratified random sampling with proportional allocation. The data collection tool was a two-part researcher made questionnaire. The first part of the questionnaire included demographic information, midwifery information, and questions related to women's awareness about herbal medicine. The second part of the questionnaire was designed based on the theory of planned behavior including attitudes, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, intention, and behavior performance. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, regression analysis, and SPSS version 18.0.
The mean age of participants was 28. 7±5.4 years (range, 15-45 years), the majority were housewives (88.3%) and had secondary education (39.3%). A total of 164 women (57. 1%) used medicinal herbs during pregnancy. The individual's attitude towards herbal medicines consumption, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control was correlated with behavioral intention (P < 0.05). Similarly, subjective norms were the most predictor of using herbal medicine among pregnant women (P < 0.05).
The findings revealed that more than 50 % of pregnant women used medicinal herbs during pregnancy. The present study showed that the individual's attitude towards herbal medicines consumption, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control was correlated with intention of herbal medicine use among pregnant women. Likewise, subjective norms were the most predictor of herbal medicine use among pregnant women. The TPB should be addressed in planning health education programs and modifying health behaviors, including self-medication, especially during pregnancy.
近年来，孕妇应用草药的发生率显著增加，但草药在孕期的安全性和疗效仍不清楚。本研究旨在根据计划行为理论（TPB）对孕妇自我药疗的预测因素进行分类。
本描述性分析研究于 2020 年对 300 名前往卡尚健康中心接受产前保健服务的孕妇进行，采用分层随机抽样和比例分配随机选择研究对象。使用研究者自制的问卷收集数据，问卷分为两部分。第一部分包括人口统计学信息、助产信息和与孕妇对草药认识相关的问题。第二部分基于计划行为理论设计，包括态度、行为感知控制、主观规范、意向和行为表现。使用描述性统计、回归分析和 SPSS 版本 18.0 分析数据。
参与者的平均年龄为 28.7±5.4 岁（范围为 15-45 岁），大多数为家庭主妇（88.3%），受过中等教育（39.3%）。共有 164 名女性（57.1%）在怀孕期间使用草药。个人对草药消费的态度、主观规范和行为感知控制与行为意向相关（P<0.05）。同样，主观规范是预测孕妇使用草药的最重要因素（P<0.05）。
研究结果显示，超过 50%的孕妇在怀孕期间使用草药。本研究表明，个人对草药消费的态度、主观规范和行为感知控制与孕妇使用草药的意向相关。同样，主观规范是预测孕妇使用草药的最重要因素。TPB 应在规划健康教育计划和改变健康行为（包括自我药疗）中得到重视，特别是在怀孕期间。
