Use of herbal medicines during pregnancy in a group of Bangladeshi women

Patient-physician communication on herbal medicine use during pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Lack of transparent communication between patients and physicians regarding the use of herbal medicine (HM) presents a major public health challenge, as inappropriate HM use poses health risks. Considering the widespread use of HM and the risk of adverse events, it is crucial for pregnant women to openly discuss their HM use with healthcare providers. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aims to estimate the pooled prevalence of pregnant women's HM use and disclosure to healthcare providers and to examine the relationship between HM disclosure and various maternal and child health (MCH) measures.

METHODS

A systematic search of five databases was conducted for cross-sectional studies on HM use during pregnancy published from 2000 to 2023. Data extraction followed a standardised approach, and Stata V.16.0 was used for data analysis. Also, Spearman's correlation coefficient was calculated to examine the association between use and disclosure of HM and various MCH indicators.

RESULTS

This review included 111 studies across 51 countries on the use of HM among pregnant women. Our findings showed that 34.4% of women used HM during pregnancy, driven by the perception that HM is presumably safer and more natural than conventional medical therapies. However, only 27.9% of the HM users disclosed their use to healthcare providers because they considered HM as harmless and were not prompted by the healthcare providers to discuss their self-care practices. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between HM disclosure and improved MCH outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Inadequate communication between pregnant women and physicians on HM use highlights a deficiency in the quality of care that may be associated with unfavourable maternal outcomes. Thus, physician engagement in effective and unbiased communication about HM during antenatal care, along with evidence-based guidance on HM use, can help mitigate the potential risks associated with inappropriate HM use.

Prevalence, motivation, and associated factors of medicinal herbs consumption in pregnant women from Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office: a systematic review

CONTEXT

Worldwide access to medication remains a major public health problem that forces pregnant women to self-medicate with several sources, such as medicinal plants. This alternative medicine is increasing in many low- and high-income countries for several reasons.

OBJECTIVE

This a systematic literature review on the prevalence of herbal use during pregnancy from the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office.

METHODS

Cross-sectional studies were searched from January 2011 to June 2021 on PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. We used the Rayyan website to identify the relevant studies by screening the abstracts and titles. These were followed by reading the full texts to identify the final studies to be included. The data were extracted, and the quality of the studies was assessed using the quality appraisal tool.

RESULTS

Of the 33 studies included in this review, 19 were conducted in Iran, 5 in Saudi Arabia, 4 in Palestine, 2 in Egypt, and 1 each in Oman, Iraq, and Jordan; the prevalence of herbal medicine use among pregnant women varied from 19.2% to 90.2%. Several plants were mentioned for pain management during the pregnancy period. The findings suggest family and friends are major motivating sources for the use of herbal medicine.

CONCLUSIONS

The wide variety of herbal products used in this study reflects the traditions and geographic diversity of the region. Despite the importance of literature-based data about the use of herbal medicine, it is necessary to obtain knowledge, attitude, and motivation for herbal consumption among pregnant women.

Assessing the safety and use of medicinal herbs during pregnancy: a cross-sectional study in São Paulo, Brazil

Background: Despite the lack of evidence supporting the safety and clinical efficacy of herbal medicine (HM), its use among pregnant women continues to increase. Given the high prevalence of contraindicated herbs among the pregnant population in Brazil, it is crucial to examine the use of HM and evaluate its safety based on the current scientific literature to ensure that women are using HM appropriately. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2022 to January 2023 at a public teaching hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 333 postpartum women in the postnatal wards and postnatal clinic were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The survey instrument consisted of 51 items covering the use of HM during pregnancy, sociodemographic and health-related characteristics, COVID-19 experiences, and pregnancy outcomes. For data analysis, chi-square and multivariate logistic regression were conducted using SPSS ver. 26.0. Results: Approximately 20% of respondents reported using HM during their most recent pregnancy, with a higher use observed among women from ethnic minority groups and those with prior HM experience. Among the 20 medicinal herbs identified, 40% were found to be contraindicated or recommended for use with caution during pregnancy. However, only half of the women discussed their HM use with obstetric care providers. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the continued public health concern regarding the use of contraindicated or potentially harmful HM among pregnant women in Brazil, highlighting the need for sustained efforts to reduce the risk of inappropriate HM use. By updating antenatal care guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence, healthcare providers can make informed clinical decisions and effectively monitor pregnant women's HM use, ultimately promoting safer and more effective healthcare practices.

Herbal medicine use among pregnant women at antenatal clinic in Ethiopia

Background

Herbal medicines are raw or processed plant-derived ingredients. Their use during pregnancy may contributed to several adverse effects that could be lethal to the mother and their unborn children.

Aims

This study aims to assess the prevalence of herbal medicine use and associated factors among pregnant women at Woldia General Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (WGCSH) in Ethiopia.

Samples

The sample size in this study was 272.

Methods

A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 270 pregnant mothers from March 2 to April 2, 2021, at WGCSH in the antenatal care clinic. A standardized, structured questionnaire-based interviewer was used to collect the socio-demographic variables; obstetrics variables; and other related variables for this study. The prevalence of herbal medicine use and associated factors were determined using descriptive and logistic regression analysis, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results

The prevalence of herbal medicine use in this study was 22.6%. Most of the pregnant women used Ocimum lamiifolium and Rutachalepensis. The use of herbal medicines during pregnancy in rural areas was higher than in urban areas (OR 2.51; 95% CI 1.35-3.54). The place of residence (AOR 3.66; 95% CI 1.83-4.74), perception of needing to use herbal medicine (AOR 2.20; 95% CI 4.99-9.86), stage of pregnancy (AOR 2.56; 95% CI 1.16-9.36), distance from the health facility (AOR 2.90; 95% CI 1.52-12.65), and previous use of herbal medicine (AOR 3.23; 95% CI 2.74-7.56) were significantly associated with herbal medicine use.

Conclusions

Nearly one-fourth of pregnant mothers at WGCSH used herbal products and preparations.

Lipid-Lowering Nutraceuticals for an Integrative Approach to Dyslipidemia

Dyslipidemia is a treatable risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease that can be addressed through lifestyle changes and/or lipid-lowering therapies. Adherence to statins can be a clinical challenge in some patients due to statin-associated muscle symptoms and other side effects. There is a growing interest in integrative cardiology and nutraceuticals in the management of dyslipidemia, as some patients desire or are actively seeking a more natural approach. These agents have been used in patients with and without established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. We provide an updated review of the evidence on many new and emerging nutraceuticals. We describe the mechanism of action, lipid-lowering effects, and side effects of many nutraceuticals, including red yeast rice, bergamot and others.

Effectors of Pregorexia and Emesis among Pregnant Women: A Pilot Study

During pregnancy, women tend to improve their lifestyle habits and refine their dietary intake. Quite often, however, these dietary improvements take an unhealthy turn, with orthorexia nervosa (ON) practices being apparent. The aim of the present pilot cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence of ON tendencies and the incidence of pica and record diet practices in a sample of pregnant women. A total of 157 pregnant women were recruited through private practice gynecologists during the first months of 2021. Nutrition-related practices were recorded, orthorexic tendencies were assessed using the translated and culturally adapted Greek version of the ORTO-15 questionnaire, pica practices were evaluated with a binary question and nausea and emesis during pregnancy (NVP) was evaluated using the translated modified Pregnancy-Unique Quantification of Emesis and Nausea (mPUQE). Only two women reported pica tendencies, with ice and snow being the consumed items. The majority (61.1%) of women reported improving their diet since conception was achieved. Folic acid and iron oral nutrient supplements (ONS) were reportedly consumed by the majority of participants (87.9% and 72.6%, respectively) and 9.6% reported using herbal medicine products. The ORTO-15 score was reduced with tertiary education attainment, ART conception, being in the third trimester of pregnancy, consumption of folic acid and MV supplements and was only increased among women who were at their first pregnancy. The majority of participants experienced severe NVP and the remaining experienced moderate NVP. NVP was associated with lower hemoglobin levels, lack of supplementary iron intake, avoidance of gluten-containing foods, as well as with increased gestational weight gain. The results highlight the need to screen pregnant women for disturbed eating behaviors and nutrition-related problems, in order to ensure a healthy pregnancy outcome.

Factors influencing the use of herbal medications during pregnancy at Public Health Center, Indonesia

Introduction:

There has been an increase in the usage of herbal remedies, particularly among pregnant women, across the globe. The prevalence of herbal medicine use during pregnancy ranged from 54.3% to 96.6% in the region studied, indicating a rising trend in the use of herbal medicine during pregnancy. Cold and flu symptoms and stomach problems were the most prevalent reasons people turned to this drug.

Materials and methods:

This study’s samples were pregnant women in the working area of Ciwaruga Public Health Center, which has eight villages. The samples were taken using a proportional simple random sampling technique until 96 respondents were obtained. The percentage of moms who took herbal medication was the primary outcome variable, and participants were chosen for the research using a systematic sampling procedure. A digital database was used to store quantitative data that had been coded.

Results:

The factors significantly associated with the use of herbal medicines during pregnancy were perception (OR 2.18; CI 1.02–4.66), having ever used herbal medicines during a previous pregnancy (OR 3.87; CI 1.46–10.25), and healthy reproductive is other reasons (OR 7.98; CI 4.45–14.30).

Conclusion:

Pregnant women in the Ciwaruga Public Health Center area often turn to herbal remedies, which may indicate a lack of access to mainstream medical treatment. They believe that herbal medications are useful and that using them during a prior pregnancy is linked.