Use of traditional Chinese medicine among pregnant women in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the patterns of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) use among pregnant women in the National Health Insurance program in Taiwan.


METHODS
Women who gave birth in Taiwan in 2006 were identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Claims for reimbursement following TCM ambulatory visits by these women were analyzed.


RESULTS
In total, 20.9% of women in the study who gave birth in 2006 used TCM during pregnancy, with older women more likely to utilize this form of care (23.9% of women >35 years of age vs 16.2% of women <20 years of age). There was an increase in the use of TCM for pregnancy-related problems such as hypertension (194 women before pregnancy vs 2163 during) and nausea/vomiting (220 women before vs 1648 during). The predominant modality (88.4%) of TCM treatment during pregnancy was herbal preparation.


CONCLUSIONS
Traditional Chinese medicine, with the exception of acupuncture, is popular among pregnant women in Taiwan. In addition to its efficacy, the safety of TCM during pregnancy requires future investigation.
Yeh
Hsiao-Yun
HY
Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chen
Yu-Chun
YC
Chen
Fang-Pey
FP
Chou
Li-Fang
LF
Chen
Tzeng-Ji
TJ
Hwang
Shinn-Jang
SJ
D026881:Acupuncture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000628:therapy; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D048968:Morning Sickness / Q000628:therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal