Beyond prescription medicine in pregnancy - raspberry leaf and other herbs in Australia

Previous surveys suggest women are taking a variety of herbs during their pregnancy. One herb that has been used for centuries for pregnancy is raspberry leaf (Rubus idaeus). There is a need to update our understanding of the motivations and experiences of women using raspberry leaf specifically during their pregnancy. This paper also sheds light on the current prevalence of herbal medicine use in pregnancy in Australia.

A prospective cohort design, collecting data by survey and routinely collected clinical data, was implemented. This paper reports on the secondary aims, from a cross-sectional survey nested within this study, which provided both the prevalence of herbal use in pregnancy (n = 561) and women's motivations and experiences of using raspberry leaf specifically in pregnancy (n = 46).

Most women (68%) reported taking one or more herbal medicine/s during their pregnancy. Raspberry leaf was the most common herb reported, with more than a third (37%) of the cohort reporting use of the herb. The most common reason for using raspberry leaf during pregnancy was to make labour easier. Most women claimed that taking raspberry leaf in pregnancy was a positive experience. Analysis of open text responses focusing on the experience of taking raspberry leaf, revealed four categories: Ritual, Comforting, Necessary, Self-Determined.

This study identified a larger percentage of women taking herbal medicine in pregnancy than has been reported in older surveys in Australia. Raspberry leaf was considered a 'necessary' part of women's 'ritual' while pregnant that contributed to their 'self-determination.' Raspberry leaf is important to some women's personal preparation for labour.