Traditional treatment of female infertility: Yoruba perspective

Abstract

This survey was to conserve knowledge of indigenous medicine through identification and documentation of the recipes and plants used in the treatment of female infertility by the Yoruba people of Southwestern Nigeria. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted using oral informal interviews. The target respondents included diviners/spiritualists, herb sellers, traditional birth attendants, farmers/hunters and other members of the community. The survey yielded 12 recipes recorded with all being orally administered. There were 30 plants distributed in 21 families; 20% of which are climbers, 20% herbs, 23% shrubs and 37% trees. Leaves (26.67%) were the most utilised part while the least utilised are rhizomes (3.33%). Materials of animal and mineral origin were also utilised. It is hoped that the documentation provided from this study will help in the conservation of knowledge of traditional medicine and to serve as a bedrock for further scientific evaluation.