A Retrospective Cohort Study of Herbal Medicines Use during Pregnancy: Prevalence, Adverse Reactions, and Newborn Outcomes

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the herbal medicines use prevalence and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) during pregnancy as well as the probable effects on newborn outcomes. Postpartum women with a live singleton infant were eligible if declared consent before discharge. Data was collected retrospectively by face-to-face interviews. Generally, 400 pairs of mother/infant were recruited. At least one herbal medicine was used by 325/400 (81.3%) women. Peppermint, frankincense, flixweed, olive oil, and cinnamon were the most common herbs. Overall, 26 ADRs were reported by 19/325 (5.8%) women. Gastrointestinal complaints were the most frequent herbal ADRs (18/26, 69.2%). Gestational age, Apgar scores, birthweight, complications, and malformations of newborns were similar between groups. In conclusion, herbal medicines were highly used by pregnant women, while they did not affect newborn outcomes either positively or adversely. Despite low frequency rate of herbal ADRs during pregnancy, their safety, efficacy, interactions, and potential risks need further studies.

Keywords

• Adverse drug reaction; Herbal medicine; Infant; Newborn; Outcome; Pregnancy