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Herbal/ Complementary Medicines in Maternity Care

It is recognised that herbal or complementary therapy may have important effects on the progress of pregnancy, labour and birth, and the postnatal period for both the woman and her baby.

Pregnancy conditions where specific remedies have been recommended include: morning sickness, abnormal fetal lie, shortening gestation ie: inducing labour, pain management in labour, decreasing duration of labour and mastitis. The more commonly promoted remedies include: evening primrose oil, castor oil, blue and black cohosh, caullophylum raspberry leaf tea, callendula, arnica and rescue remedy. Many of these preparations are available ‘over the counter’. Use of herbal preparations is not generally guided by formal education but usually passed but by ‘word of mouth’.

As interest in ‘alternative’ or ‘complementary’ therapies is growing substantially and many remedies are available ‘over the counter’. However women need to be aware that herbal medicine products are not entirely free of risks for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

The Women's Health Service does not recommend the use of herbal or complementary medicines during pregnancy or breastfeeding.There has been little scientific investigation into the effectiveness and safety of herbal preparations in pregnancy and lactation and there are anecdotal cases where outcomes have been poor. Until definitive data emerge, the best advice is to consider all herbal medicine products contra-indicated during pregnancy/ lactation and to inform our patients accordingly (BJOG, March 2002).

If you are referred to the hospital for any clinical problems, it is important that you tell the obstetrician or anaesthetist that you are consuming herbal or complementary medicines. In these circumstances there may be unknown/ increased risks for mothers and babies because ‘alternative’ therapies may interact with established therapies in harmful ways e.g. hyperstimulation of labour.

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