Herbal Medicines—Are They Effective and Safe during Pregnancy?

Abstract

Since the teratogenicity of Thalidomide has been proven, herbal products are more commonly used in pregnancy to not only relieve morning sickness but also to fight infections. These products are frequently considered as natural and therefore harmless. However, herbs contain a number of active substances that, when used during pregnancy, can affect the development of the fetus. Often, pregnant women do not consult the usage of herbal medicines with a physician. The access to these products is easy and treatment of certain ailments with the use of herbs is common in many countries. The aim of the present literature review was to discuss available data regarding the efficacy and safety of cranberry, chamomile, Echinacea purpurea, garlic, ginger, Ginkgo biloba, and peppermint, which are used to counteract the most common ailments during pregnancy, i.e., infections and pregnancy-related ailments (e.g., nausea and vomiting, dizziness, and headache). Analysis of available data showed that ginger is one of the most extensively analyzed herbal remedies. The dose of ginger below 1000 mg per day may help to relief hypereremesis gravidarum, and such an amount of ginger did not increase frequency of adverse effects for either woman or developing fetus. Data regarding other herbs are most often heterogeneous and give conflicting results with no clear conclusions. However, all herbal products should be used with a special caution in pregnancy. Further high-quality human studies should be determined to confirm the safe doses of herbal products which could be used by pregnant or breast-feeding women.

Self-medication practice with modern and herbal medicines and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia

“…Our study subjects revealed that they had been using ginger tea to treat morning sickness, cough, and to aid digestion; sniffing or drinking the exudate of dama-kesse to treat headache, fever, flank pain, and hypertension; and garlic for common cold, flu, and prevention of preeclampsia. Their uses are supported by traditional claims of the plants as well as in vivo and in vitro experimental studies [ 10 , 13 , [35] , [36] , [37] ].…”

“…According to a study from Pakistan, pregnant women who want to end their pregnancies take 2 g of ginger daily [ 9 ]. Regarding other herbs, the available data are often heterogeneous and show conflicting results without a clear conclusion [ 10 ].…”

Novel Insights on Plant Extracts to Prevent and Treat Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

“…Cranberry is a plant from the family Ericaceae, known as V. macrocarpon. It was used by native Americans to treat infections [41]. Other varieties, including V. oxycoccos, a small/bog cranberry, and V. erythrocarpum, a southern mountain cranberry, have also been used to treat UTI because these berries contain many biologically active compounds that are supposed to be responsible for anti-uropathogenic activities [42].…”

Effectiveness of herbal medicines to prevent and control symptoms of urinary tract infections and to reduce antibiotic use: A literature review

“…Use of cranberry products during pregnancy appears to be safe. 52 In the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study the use of cranberry products was not found to be harmful during pregnancy. 53 …”