Vol. 7, Issue 1, Part A (2025)

Introduction: Breastfeeding mothers resort to galactagogues following real or apparent perception of insufficient breastmilk production. While the prevalence of use of galactagogues has been on the increase globally, the exact substances that constitute galactagogues, their dosages, efficacy, and side effect profiles have been a subject of controversy.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the use of galactagogues among postnatal breastfeeding mothers in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria with a view to finding out the different types of substances used, the indication(s), their efficacy, and side effects if any.

Method: This was a multicentre, cross-sectional descriptive study among 406 breastfeeding women in Enugu urban conducted over six months. Structured, interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect data covering socio-demographics characteristics, the substances used as galactagogues usage, the indication, perceptions of efficacy, and the side effects. Statistical Package for Social Sciences [IBM SPSS] software version 25.0 was used for analysis and the significance level was set at p<0.05.

Results: A total of 406 respondents drawn from four health facilities in Enugu participated in this study. The mean age of the participants was 30.25±6.45 years with a range of 16 to 43 years. More than 90% of the respondents were aged between 20 and 39 years. They were predominantly (94.1%) of the Igbo tribe, and majority (83%) had tertiary level education. The prevalence of use of galactagogues in Enugu is 85%. The major types of galactagogues in use were palm wine (51.4%), and beer (19.4%). More than 70% of the galactagogues were prescribed by close relatives and the major indication (83.5%) was insufficient breastmilk production. Majority of them (90.7%) believed that the galactagogue(s) were effective while almost 90% reported no side effects. There was a significant association between galactagogue use and respondents’ level of education (χ ² = 14.070, p = 0.003), parity (χ ² = 28.232, p<0.001), and the route of delivery (χ ² = 8.968, p = 0.003). Tiger nuts appeared to be the most effective galactagogue.

Conclusion: Galactagogues, (especially non-pharmacological types) are widely used by most breastfeeding mothers in Enugu Southeast Nigeria. The major indication is perceived insufficient breastmilk production. While these galactagogues are believed to be effective in stimulating breastmilk secretion with minimal side effects, there is need to scientifically understudy these products with a view to finding their mechanisms of action, correct dosages, and side effects both in short-and long-terms to provide appropriate regulations and prevent abuse.