pregnancy

Traditional practices, beliefs and uses of medicinal plants in relation to maternal-baby health of Criollo woman in central Argentina.: Midwifery. 2007 Sep 28; Authors: Martínez GJ

OBJECTIVE: to present information on traditional practices and medicinal uses of plants for treating health diseases related to the reproductive cycle of Criollo women living in the hills of the province of Córdoba; and to interpret these uses in the context of this population's folk medicine. DESIGN: data were collected during several field trips to the study area based on the guidelines of a research project that included ethnographic and ethnobotanical aspects of the study area. SETTING: a rural community of central Argentina. PARTICIPANTS: a total of 62 peasants were interviewed on the basis of a semi-structured system. Repeated open and extensive interviews were also undertaken with seven women who had previously worked as midwives in areas of difficult access. FINDINGS: this study found that 12 different female diseases and complaints are treated using a total of 48 plant species belonging to 27 botanical families, with 71 different medicinal uses. The traditional beliefs and practices associated with maternal-baby health care in rural areas highlights the existing combination of principles reformulated from humoral medicine, the use of analogical reasoning, and ontological and functional interpretations of morbid processes. The principle of Hypocratical opposition and hot-cold categorisation are significant criteria that rule over the practices of mother and child health care during birth and puerperium. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: consequences of traditional knowledge on the health care of peasant women are discussed, based on the analysis of traditional practices from a peasant's point of view.

PMID: 17905491 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Prevention and treatment of vaginal bleeding after drug-induced abortion by Yaoliuan capsule and its effects on menses recovery.: J Huazhong Univ Sci Technolog Med Sci. 2005;25(3):346-7, 367 Authors: Jin Z, Huang G

In order to explore the effect of Yaoliuan capsule in the prevention and treatment of vaginal bleeding after drug-induced abortion and menses recovery after drug-induced abortion, 323 cases of gestation period < or = 49 days and without contraindication, were divided randomly into study group (168 cases, taking Yaoliuan capsule) and control group (155 cases, taking placebo capsule). The results showed that in the study group, there were 161 cases (95.8%) of complete abortion, 7 cases (4.2%) of incomplete abortion; In the control group, there were 146 cases (94.2%) of complete abortion, 6 cases (3.9%) of incomplete abortion, 3 cases (1.9%) of abortion failure. The vaginal bleeding time was 5-25 days (mean 10.8 days) in study group, while that was 6-62 days (mean 19.1 days) in control group. The menstrual cycle was 30.5+/-5. 2 days and 33.8 d+/-8.6 days respectively in study and control groups. The menstrual period was 6.1+/-3. 5 days and 9.9+/-5.1 days respectively in study and control groups. Yaoliuan capsule is an effective drug to prevent and treat vaginal bleeding following drug-induced abortion, promote menstruation recovery and prevent pelvic infection.

PMID: 16201292 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Safety and efficacy of echinacea (Echinacea angustafolia, e. purpurea and e. pallida) during pregnancy and lactation.: Can J Clin Pharmacol. 2006; 13(3): e262-7 Authos: Perri D, Dugoua JJ, Mills E, Koren G

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of basic knowledge on the part of both clinicians and patients as to the indications for use and safety of herbal medicines used in pregnancy and lactation. This is one article in a series that systematically reviews the evidence for commonly used herbs during pregnancy and lactation. OBJECTIVES: To systematically review the literature for evidence on the use, safety, and pharmacology of echinacea focusing on issues pertaining to pregnancy and lactation. METHODS: We searched 7 electronic databases and compiled data according to the grade of evidence found. RESULTS: There is good scientific evidence from a prospective cohort study that oral consumption of echinacea during the first trimester does not increase the risk for major malformations. Low-level evidence based on expert opinion shows that oral consumption of echinacea in recommended doses is safe for use during pregnancy and lactation. CONCLUSIONS: Echinacea is non-teratogenic when used during pregnancy. Caution with using Echinacea during lactation until further high quality human studies can determine its safety.

Treating threatened abortion with Chinese herbs: a case report.: Phytother Res. 2006 Oct;20(10):915-6 Authors: Qu F, Zhou J

In the report a patient who suffered from threatened abortion was successfully cured with Chinese herbs. After treatment, vaginal bleeding stopped and the aching sensation in the loins and prolapsing sensation in the abdomen disappeared. The gestational ring changed from a crescent moon shape to a normal shape.

In vitro determination of the contraceptive spermicidal activity of a composite extract of Achyranthes aspera and Stephania hernandifolia on human semen.: Contraception. 2006 Mar;73(3):284-8 Authors: Paul D, Bera S, Jana D, Maiti R, Ghosh D

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a 50% ethanolic extract of the leaf of Stephania hernandifolia and the root of Achyranthes aspera on sperm motility and function in a ratio of 1:3 by weight at different concentrations. RESULTS: Concentration of 0.08 g/mL of the extract affected the motility, and at a concentration of 0.16 g/mL, the sperm motility was reduced to 20% immediately (within 20 s). At a concentration of 0.32 g/mL, this composite extract showed the most promising results by complete sperm immobilization within 2 min after the application of the extract. The effects were spermicidal but not spermiostatic as sperm immobilization effect was found to be irreversible. Sperm viability was decreased significantly and was found to be nonviable after 30 min when treated with the composite extract at a concentration of 0.32 g/mL. The hypo-osmotic swelling of these sperm was reduced significantly at this highest concentration, indicating that the crude extract may probably cause injury to the sperm plasma membrane. A low concentration of 0.04 g/mL is ineffective. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that this composite plant extract possesses potential contraceptive spermicidal activity in vitro.

Postcoital ingestion of the aqueous extract of Erythrina falcata Benth prevents pregnancy in the mouse.: Contraception. 2006 Mar;73(3):307-10 Authors: Orihuela PA, Ishiyama V

AIM: We examined whether the aqueous extract of Erythrina falcata, reputed to be a contraceptive in Peruvian folklore, could prevent pregnancy in the mouse. METHODS: Female mice on Day 1 of pregnancy were given aqueous extract of E. falcata or tap water (control) orally for 4 days. On Day 4 of pregnancy, animals were killed and the embryos were flushed from oviducts and uterus to examine their developmental stage, cell number, mitotic index and micronuclei frequency. Other mice were killed on Day 12 of pregnancy to determine the number of implantation sites. RESULTS: Ingestion of E. falcata diminished the percentage of embryos that progressed to blastocyst stage, reduced the cell number and mitotic index, and increased the micronuclei frequency of early embryos. The number of implantation sites was also reduced in females treated with E. falcata. CONCLUSION: The aqueous extract of E. falcata, ingested during early pregnancy, disturbs preimplantation embryo development and implantation in the mouse. These results provide the first experimental evidence of the contraceptive properties of the aqueous extract of E. falcata.

Garlic increases IL-10 and inhibits TNFalpha and IL-6 production in endotoxin-stimulated human placental explants.: Placenta. 2005 Nov;26(10):828-34 Authors: Makris A, Thornton CE, Xu B, Hennessy A

Preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder manifest by hypertension after 20 weeks' gestation associated with end organ damage, usually proteinuria. The placenta is thought to be pivotal in the pathogenesis of the disease. Both the placenta and the maternal systemic response are characterised by heightened inflammation. Garlic has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic properties amongst others. It was hypothesised that treating placental explants with garlic may inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor (TNFalpha)) and stimulate the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-10 (IL-10)) by the placental explants. Garlic, we hypothesised, would also stimulate apoptosis in the explants as measured by soluble TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand/Apo-2L (sTRAIL) production. Normal placental explants (n=5) and explants from women who had preeclampsia (n=4) were cultured in the presence of various garlic concentrations (10-1000 microg/mL). The lowest garlic concentration (10 microg/mL) increased the normal explant production of IL-10 by 29.2% (12.2, 57.5%; p<0.01) while inhibiting the production of IL-6 by 23.5% (8.9, 32.5%; p<0.01) (normal explants) and TNFalpha by 19.4% (4.5, 35.3%; p<0.05) (preeclamptic explants). Garlic resulted in an increase in IL-10 production at lower doses (normal explants only) and inhibition of the production of IL-10 at higher doses (normal and preeclamptic explants). Garlic also resulted in a dose-dependent reduction of IL-6 and TNFalpha. Initially there was no change in sTRAIL production; however, at the highest garlic concentrations there was a significant increase in production. We thus conclude that garlic may have an immunomodulatory effect on normal and preeclamptic placentas.

Use of over-the-counter medications and herbal remedies in pregnancy.: Am J Perinatol. 2005 Aug;22(6):321-4 Authors: Refuerzo JS, Blackwell SC, Sokol RJ, Lajeunesse L, Firchau K, Kruger M, Sorokin Y

The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and herbal remedies used by pregnant women. A prospective observational study was performed at a single tertiary-care hospital. Postpartum women completed a questionnaire that included a list of more than 120 medications, herbal remedies, and alternative therapies listed by both brand and common name. Patients were asked to identify any and all medications or treatments used during pregnancy. Of 418 patients who completed questionnaires, 96.9% took at least one medication during their pregnancy. After excluding prenatal vitamins and iron supplements, 76.5% took at least one other medication; 62.8% used OTC medications, and 4.1% used herbal and/or alternative remedies. Multiple drug use occurred in 33.5% of patients, with up to 13.6% consuming four or more medications. The use of prescribed and OTC, medications, and herbal/alternative therapy, is common in pregnancy, with many patients consuming more than one agent at a time.

When Should Pregnancy be an Exclusion from Clinical Research?

Presented by: Bonnie Steinbock, Ph.D., State University of New York

Clinical Center Grand Rounds

Aired date: 11/16/2005 2:09:00 PM Eastern Time

Use of Coptidis Rhizoma and foetal growth: a follow-up study of 9895 pregnancies.: Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2005 Dec 5; Authors: Chuang CH, Lai JN, Wang JD, Chang PJ, Chen PC

PURPOSE: To explore the effect of Coptidis Rhizoma on foetal growth in pregnancy. METHODS: During 1985-1987, each pregnant woman with 26 or more weeks of gestation who came to the Taipei Municipal Maternal and Child Hospital for prenatal care was enrolled and interviewed by three trained interviewers using structured questionnaires to obtain detailed information including the herbal medicines used during pregnancy. Medical histories of diabetes, hypertension, antepartum haemorrhage and medicines used during pregnancy were abstracted from medical records of mothers'. Data of birth weight, gestational duration and characteristics of infants were gathered from the Taiwan national birth registration. A total of 9895 singleton livebirths were analysed. The variables related to foetal growth included two dichotomous measures: low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age (SGA); and one continuous measure: birth weight. Potential risk factors associated with these outcomes were investigated using multiple logistic and linear regression models. RESULTS: After adjustment, pregnant women taking Coptidis Rhizoma during pregnancy had no significantly adverse effect on foetal growth. There was a non-significantly slightly decreased mean of birth weight and increased risk of LBW and SGA babies if the frequency of using Coptidis Rhizoma was more than 56 times. CONCLUSIONS: The usual usage of Coptidis Rhizoma during pregnancy seemed not to increase the adverse risk on foetal growth. Future observations for use of longer than 56 times or a higher cumulated dose were needed to clarify the safety. Copyright (c) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.