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Midwives' use of complementary/alternative treatments.

Edzard Ernst¹, Leala K Watson

¹Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, Veysey Building, Salmon Pool Lane, Exeter EX2 4SG, UK. Edzard.Ernst@pms.ac.uk

|October 22, 2011

Summary

Most midwives utilize complementary and alternative therapies (CATs), often without physician awareness. This systematic review highlights the high prevalence of CAT use among midwives, urging open discussion due to potential risks.

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Area of Science:

Midwifery Practice
Complementary and Alternative Therapies (CATs)
Evidence-Based Healthcare

Background:

Surveys indicate widespread use of complementary and alternative therapies (CATs) by midwives.
Midwives often use CATs without the explicit knowledge of obstetricians.

Purpose of the Study:

To systematically review existing surveys on the prevalence of CAT use among midwives.
To synthesize quantitative data on midwife utilization of CATs.

Main Methods:

A systematic search of six electronic databases was conducted for relevant surveys.
Inclusion criteria focused on surveys reporting quantitative data on CAT prevalence in midwifery.
Data extraction followed pre-defined criteria from full-text articles.

Main Results:

Nineteen surveys met the inclusion criteria, predominantly recent studies from the USA.
High prevalence rates of CAT use by midwives were reported, frequently approaching 100%.
A significant portion of CATs used by midwives lack robust evidence supporting their efficacy.

Conclusions:

The majority of midwives appear to incorporate CATs into their practice.
The widespread use of CATs, some with potential risks, necessitates open dialogue and further investigation.