Comparing local perspectives on women’s health with statistics on maternal mortality: an ethnobotanical study in Bénin and Gabon

Background According to the World Health Organization (WHO), reproductive health problems are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality for women in Africa. In spite of this scenario and the importance of plants in African health care, limited research has been conducted linking maternal health and plant-based medicine. The objective of our research was to examine how closely Beninese and Gabonese women’s health perspectives, medicinal plant knowledge, and plant use practices reflect the statistical causes of maternal mortality.