ABSTRACT
This research intends to compile ethnobotanical knowledge and practices related to female fertility, prenatal care, and postpartum care among Benin people. Between July and November 2021, an ethnomedical survey of herbs used for female fertility, prenatal care, and postnatal care among people of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria, was carried out. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was used to gather information from sixteen randomly chosen traditional healers, tradomedical practitioners, and native midwives from the major tribal groupings in the city. In total, 24 medicinal plant species from 21 families were crucial for Benin people's prenatal and postnatal care as well as female fertility. Afrormosia laxiflora, Gossypium hirsutum, Phyllanthus amarus, Oenothera biennis, Pennisetum purpureum, Psidium guajava, Aloe barbadensis, and Oenothera biennis are a few of the plants. Some of the plants that are used to treat female reproductive issues have effects on menopausal symptoms, hormonal effects, fertility, and anti-fertility effects, as well as abortifacient properties, contraceptive efficacy, aphrodisiac properties, infections of the reproductive tract, complications following childbirth, and effectiveness in reducing uterine bleeding, among other things. The most frequently mentioned plant parts in the majority of medicine compositions are herbs, trees from the most common growing form, and fruits. The majority of the treatments were created using a single plant source or a combination of plants along with other substances. The importance of this research to the comprehension, documenting, and preservation of indigenous knowledge as well as the potential application of plants for expanded economic responsibilities in the direction of the nation's sustainable development were also underlined.
