Complementary medicine use by nurse midwives in the U.S

The purpose of this prospective descriptive study was to understand 1) the extent to which certified nurse midwives (CNMs) utilize complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), 2) how knowledge regarding CAM is gained, and 3) characteristics of these providers. A survey was designed to determine use of CAM treatment modalities: herbal preparations, pharmacologic/biologic treatments, manual healing/bioelectromagnetic applications, mind-body interventions, and diet and lifestyle. Random sampling was used to select participants (n=500) who were members of the American College of Nurse Midwives. Of those CNMs responding (n=227, 45%), 78% (n=178) reported use of CAM. Herbal preparations were most commonly used (85%), followed by pharmacologic/biologic treatments (82%), mind-body interventions (80%), and manual healing/bioelectromagnetic therapies (47%). Virtually all CAM user respondents utilized at least one diet and lifestyle therapy.