Safety and efficacy of herbal remedies in obstetrics-review and clinical implications.
OBJECTIVE
to review the literature on safety and efficacy of the most commonly used herbs to enable midwives to give evidence-based information to pregnant women.


METHODS
survey and review of the scientific literature.


METHODS
the survey was performed at the antenatal clinic at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital between 26 November 2007 and 15 February 2008.


METHODS
a total of 578 expectant mothers at least 20-weeks pregnant.


RESULTS
57.8% of the participants used one or more herbal remedies. The most commonly used herbal preparations during pregnancy were ginger, cranberry, raspberry leaf, chamomile, peppermint and echinacea. Altogether, 14 studies focusing on the safety and/or efficacy of these herbals in human pregnancy were identified. Ten studies of ginger, one of cranberry, two of raspberry leaf and one of echinacea were located.


CONCLUSIONS
there is limited documentation on the safety and efficacy of many herbs commonly used during pregnancy.


CONCLUSIONS
midwives are important caregivers for pregnant women and should strive to give evidence-based advice on herbal use in pregnancy. If 'traditional use' is the only available information, the pregnant woman should be made aware of this to enable her to make an informed decision about the eventual use.
Department of Chemistry/Centre for Pharmacy, University of Bergen, Allégaten 41, 5007 Bergen, Norway. lone.holst@farm.uib.no
Lone
L
Holst
David
D
Wright
Svein
S
Haavik
Hedvig
H
Nordeng
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009664:Norway; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
D010936:Plant Extracts