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Sunday 22 November 2015

Consumption of Chinese herbal medicines during pregnancy and postpartum: A prospective cohort study in China

Available online 17 November 2015

Highlights

Nearly half of the women consumed Chinese herbal medicines during or after pregnancy.
Chinese Angelica was the most popular herbal medicine among Chinese mothers.
Maternal mother/mother-in-law was the main referral source for herbal consumption.
Health professionals should give evidence-based advice regarding maternal herbal use.

Abstract

Objective

to investigate usage patterns and factors associated with maternal consumption of Chinese herbal medicines in China.

Design

prospective cohort study. Information on the use of Chinese herbal medicines was collected from mothers by personal interview at hospital discharge and followed up by telephone at 1, 3 and 6 months postpartum.

Setting

seven hospitals in Jiangyou, Sichuan Province of China.

Participants

695 mothers who gave birth to a singleton infant.

Measurements

Prevalence, type, frequency and duration of herbal medicine usage. Logistic mixed regression analyses were performed to determine factors affecting the use.

Findings

a total of 43.5% and 45.0% of mothers consumed Chinese herbal medicines during pregnancy and postpartum, respectively. Angelica sinsensis was the most popular herbal medicine among the participants (pregnancy 28.8%, postpartum 26.8%). Although herbal medicines were taken more regularly by postpartum users, the median usage duration varied from 2 to 3 months during pregnancy but 1 to 1.6 months postpartum. The majority of users (pregnancy 42.9%, postpartum 55.1%) were advised by their mother or mother-in-law to take Chinese herbal medicines. Prenatal alcohol drinking (adjusted odds ratio 2.75, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 7.53) was associated with a marginally higher prevalence of herbal consumption during pregnancy, whereas mothers with a lower family income (adjusted odds ratio 1.52, 95% confidence interval 1.12 to 2.04) were more likely to consume Chinese herbal medicines in the postpartum period.

Key conclusions and implications for practice

consumption of Chinese herbal medicines appears to be prevalent among Chinese mothers, especially those drinking alcohol whilst pregnant and women from a lower income household. Maternity health professionals need to be aware of the lack of evidence to support the use of Chinese herbal medicines during pregnancy and postpartum, and to provide their clients with scientifically based advice regarding herbal medicine use.

Keywords

  • Chinese herbal medicine;
  • Pregnancy;
  • Postpartum;
  • China

Corresponding author at: Department of Management Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Tel.: +852 34428585; fax: +852 34420189.