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Maternal Health in Central America: The Role of Medicinal Plants in the Pregnancy-Related Health and Well-Being of Indigenous Women in Central America

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Maternal Death and Pregnancy-Related Morbidity Among Indigenous Women of Mexico and Central America

Part of the book series: Global Maternal and Child Health ((GMCH))

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Abstract

Over the past 20 years, Central America (CA) has made considerable progress in improving the health status of its populations. However, in some countries, the overall health status remains below average with poor outcomes concentrated geographically among the poor and Indigenous populations. Although Indigenous people make up the second largest population in CA, these populations have less access to healthcare, and funding for initiatives to improve maternal health is scarce. In many communities across CA, women continue to rely heavily on plant-based medicines for health and well-being, and yet there is a paucity of information regarding the safety and efficacy of these therapies. Sourced from available academic, governmental, and gray literature, in both English and Spanish, this chapter reviews maternal health issues among the Indigenous, Ladino, and other ethnic women of CA, evaluates the role of traditional medicine practices and their influence on maternal health outcomes, and reviews the existing scientific evidence supporting the use of traditional (i.e., plant-based) medicines for pregnancy-related health conditions.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Mestizo means mixed ethnicity of Indigenous and European heritage but culturally Ladino (Latino). The term Mestizo is used throughout CA, whereas the term Ladino is used mostly in Guatemala and Honduras.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Outcomes Research and Assessment Group, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

    Tracie D. Locklear Ph.D.

  2. Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Gail B. Mahady Ph.D.

  3. Department of Medical Education, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA

    Joanna Michel Ph.D.

  4. Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA

    Jillian De Gezelle Ph.D.

  5. Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA

    Angela I. Calderón Ph.D., Jordan Alma McLeroy & Jesse Alice McLeroy

  6. Departments of Biology and Biochemistry, Alma College, Alma, MI, USA

    Brian J. Doyle Ph.D.

  7. Pharmacy Practice and Science, Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Esperanza J. Carcache de Blanco Ph.D.

  8. Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Nicaragua, Leon, Nicaragua

    Kelvin Nuñez Martinez R.Ph.

  9. School of Chemistry and Natural Products Research Center, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica

    Alice L. Perez Ph.D.

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    David A. Schwartz

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Locklear, T.D. et al. (2018). Maternal Health in Central America: The Role of Medicinal Plants in the Pregnancy-Related Health and Well-Being of Indigenous Women in Central America. In: Schwartz, D. (eds) Maternal Death and Pregnancy-Related Morbidity Among Indigenous Women of Mexico and Central America. Global Maternal and Child Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71538-4_5

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