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. 2010 Dec;7(4):477-86.
doi: 10.1093/ecam/nen031. Epub 2008 May 7.

Use, Attitudes and Knowledge of Complementary and Alternative Drugs (CADs) Among Pregnant Women: a Preliminary Survey in Tuscany

Francesco Lapi  1 , Alfredo Vannacci, Martina Moschini, Fabrizio Cipollini, Maria Morsuillo, Eugenia Gallo, Grazia Banchelli, Enrica Cecchi, Marina Di Pirro, Maria Grazia Giovannini, Maria Teresa Cariglia, Luigi Gori, Fabio Firenzuoli, Alessandro Mugelli
Affiliations

Use, Attitudes and Knowledge of Complementary and Alternative Drugs (CADs) Among Pregnant Women: a Preliminary Survey in Tuscany

Francesco Lapi et al. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2010 Dec.

Abstract

To explore pregnant women's use, attitudes, knowledge and beliefs of complementary and alternative drugs (CADs) defined as products manufactured from herbs or with a natural origin. A preliminary survey was conducted among 172 pregnant women in their third trimester of pregnancy, consecutively recruited in two obstetrical settings; 15 women were randomly selected to compute a test-to-retest analysis. Response rate was 87.2%. Test-to-retest analysis showed a questionnaire's reproducibility exceeding a K-value of 0.7 for all items. Mean age was 32.4 ± 0.4 years; most women were nulliparae (62.7%). The majority of subjects (68%) declared to have used one or more CADs during their lifetime; 48% of pregnant women reported taking at least one CAD previously and during the current pregnancy. Women's habitual use of CADs meant they were at higher risk of taking CADs also during pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio = 10.8; 95% confidence interval: 4.7-25.0). Moreover, 59.1% of the subjects were unable to correctly identify the type of CADs they were using. The majority of women resorted to gynecologists as the primary information source for CADs during pregnancy, while they mainly referred to herbalists when not pregnant. Habitual use of CADs seems to be a strong predictor for their ingestion also during pregnancy; in addition most subjects were unable to correctly identify the products they were taking. In the light of the scanty data concerning the safety of CADs during pregnancy, these preliminary results confirm the need to investigate thoroughly the situation of pregnant women and CADs consumption.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Information sources on CADs during current pregnancy (n = 150).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Information sources on CADs in previous pregnancy or outside of pregnancy (n = 150).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Pregnant women's opinions about efficacy of CADs when compared with traditional medications (n = 150).
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Pregnant women's opinions about safety of CADs when compared with traditional medications (n = 150).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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