Herbal medicine use in parturients

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Pharmacology
• Integrative Medicine

Background:

• Alternative medicine use, including herbal remedies, has significantly increased.
• Concerns exist regarding potential adverse drug-herb interactions and bleeding complications from herbal medicine use, particularly in presurgical patients.
• The prevalence and patterns of herbal remedy use among pregnant patients (parturients) were previously underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of herbal remedy consumption in parturients.
• To investigate the patterns of herbal medicine use during pregnancy.
• To identify demographic factors associated with herbal remedy use in this population.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to pregnant patients scheduled for delivery within 20 weeks.
• The questionnaire collected data on prescription, nonprescription, and herbal medication use.
• Response rate was 61%, with analysis of 7.1% reporting herbal remedy use.

Main Results:

• 7.1% of surveyed parturients reported using herbal remedies.
• Only 14.6% of herbal remedy users perceived them as medications.
• Parturients aged 41-50 years showed the highest rate of use (17.1%).
• 46% of herbal remedy users reported taking them based on a healthcare provider's recommendation.

Conclusions:

• Herbal medicine use appears less common in the parturient population compared to general surgical patients.
• A notable proportion of pregnant patients use herbal remedies, with some usage potentially influenced by healthcare provider recommendations.
• Further research is warranted to understand the safety and efficacy of commonly used herbal remedies during pregnancy.