Abstract

PULIDO ACUNA, Gloria Paulina; VASQUEZ SEPULVEDA, Patricia de las Mercedes  and  VILLAMIZAR GOMEZ, Licet. The use of herbal medicine among pregnant and lactating women attending a university hospital in Bogota, Colombia. Index Enferm [online]. 2012, vol.21, n.4, pp.199-203. ISSN 1699-5988.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1132-12962012000300005.

The use of herbal supplements is a common practice about pregnant and lactating women, however in Colombia there is limited data regarding the extent of women's use of herbal medicines during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The aim of this study was to describe the patterns of herbal medication use among pregnant and lactating women at the Hospital San Jose in Bogota, Colombia. Methods: Cross-sectional study. A questionnaire was designed to measure the frequency of herbal supplementation, why women took the herbal medicine, form of supplements, and who recommended the supplements or how did they learn about the herbal supplements. Results: The use of herbal supplements among pregnant and lactating women is 33.6% (CI 95%: 29.2%-38%) and 36.6 (CI 95%: 30.8%-42.3%), respectively. The most common supplement used by pregnant women is Chamomile (36,7%), and among lactating women is Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) (65%). Conclusion: Pregnant and breastfeeding women use herbal supplements for specific pregnancy-related problems, to induce labor, to boost breast milk production and to improve extreme body temperature variations.

Keywords : Herbal medicine; Pregnancy; Labor; Lactation.