Usage of herbal medications in patients undergoing IVF treatment in an Irish infertility treatment unit.
BACKGROUND
Usage of herbal and complimentary medicines by patients presenting for procedures that require the use of anaesthetic agents is common.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of herbal medication usage among female patients attending for assisted reproduction procedures involving the use of sedative or hypnotic agents.


METHODS
Questionnaire-based survey carried out over a 6-month period from January to July 2007.


RESULTS
Forty-six percent of patients admitted regular use of herbal medications, with 38% of patients having taken herbal preparations in the 3-month period prior to their attendance for treatment. No patient taking herbal preparations had discussed the use of these products with the attending anaesthetist or fertility specialist prior to attending for the procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
The usage of herbal medications with potential for serious adverse effects is high in this unique patient population. Education of both healthcare providers and patients is indicated.
Shannon
J
J
Department of Obstetric Anesthesia, BC Women's Hospital, Vancouver, Canada. drjamesshannon@gmail.com
El Saigh
I
I
Tadrous
R
R
Mocanu
E
E
Loughrey
J
J
D000777:Anesthetics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003625:Data Collection; D020900:Echinacea / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005737:Garlic / Q000009:adverse effects; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D041743:Herb-Drug Interactions; D029001:Herbal Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female; D007494:Ireland; D005894:Panax / Q000009:adverse effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects; D034121:Reproductive Health Services; D012449:Safety; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000777:Anesthetics; D010936:Plant Extracts