Herbal products use during pregnancy and postpartum: study of consumption and user profile in Catalonia

The prevalence of herbal products (HPs) consumption among pregnant and postpartum women, the factors driving their use or the main sources of recommendation have never been studied in Spain or Catalonia. Investigating its prevalence of use during critical phases of development is crucial for providing guidance to health professionals.

A validated questionnaire, containing general data on socio-demographic status, lifestyle, maternal health data and its association with HP consumption, was performed in online personal interviews among women living in Catalonia between pregnancy week 22 and postpartum month 9.

We identified a higher percentage of HPs consumption compared to other European countries, while the 5 most consumed products were similar to the products described to be consumed by pregnant women in other countries. The most frequently consumed HPs were ginger (28%), chamomile (9%), thyme (7%), rooibos (6%), cranberry (4%), and raspberry leaf (4%), and we identified specific temporal patterns of consumption for several of them, depending on the trimester of pregnancy. Furthermore, we found a significant relationship between women consuming oral HPs and the opinion that "pregnant women should preferably consume herbal remedies rather than conventional medicines".

We provide evidence that women consuming HPs during pregnancy are not defined by a specific profile and therefore, healthcare professionals should be aware that any woman could potentially consume HPs during this period.