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Women's use of herbal and alternative medicines for preconception care
Author(s) -
Charaf Safa,
Wardle Jonathan L.,
Sibbritt David W.,
Lal Sara,
Callaway Leonie K.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1479-828X
pISSN - 0004-8666
DOI - 10.1111/ajo.12324
Subject(s) - medicine , family medicine , pregnancy , alternative medicine , multivitamin , cross sectional study , reproductive medicine , health care , traditional medicine , obstetrics , genetics , pathology , vitamin , economics , biology , economic growth
Background Use of complementary and alternative medicine ( CAM ), particularly herbal and alternative medicine supplements, for preconception care and fertility management is becoming increasingly common. Aims To determine the factors associated with the use of CAM s by women for preconception care. Materials and Methods 412 women who had visited an antenatal ‘first visit’ clinic situated at a Brisbane obstetric hospital or had visited a private ultrasound clinic in the same city for the purposes of a routinely indicated ultrasound scan in the first trimester were recruited into the study. Data were collected via a cross‐sectional questionnaire. Results Complementary and alternative medicines (not including multivitamins) were used during preconception by 8.3% of women attending for obstetric care. Approximately half (55.8%) of women taking herbal and alternative medicines ceased these medications on discovery of their pregnancy, though fewer (17.4%) ceased taking multivitamin supplements. Baseline characteristics (age, education and income) are not significantly different between CAM users and those who did not take CAM s preconception. The results of statistical analyses showed that only visiting a practitioner to check for health ( OR = 2.00; 95% CI : 1.33, 3.00) and trying to lose weight prior to pregnancy ( OR = 1.53; 95% CI : 1.00, 2.36) were the key predictors for women using CAM during preconception. Conclusions Women do consume CAM s to enhance preconception care to a certain extent, though CAM users remain in the minority. CAM users also tend to cease use once pregnant.