Increase in the use of natural health products, particularly herbal products (HP), is noticed all over the world. Concerning HP use during pregnancy, previous studies realized among pregnant women in the US population and elsewhere, showed that up to 55% of women used at least one HP during gestation. However, in Canada the population of women who use HP during pregnancy has not been studied. Moreover, the impact of HP use during pregnancy on pregnancy outcomes remains lacking.

Through this research project, we aimed to 1) measure the frequency of HP use among pregnant Canadian women during pregnancy, 2) identify the most frequently consumed HP during gestation, 3) estimate frequency of concomitant HP and prescribed medication use during pregnancy, 4) determine predictors of HP use among women at the beginning of pregnancy and during the third trimester, and 5) quantify the association between HP use during the last two trimesters of pregnancy and the risk of prematurity. These different aspects of HP use during pregnancy were studied using data from the Quebec Pregnancy Registry.

Funding source
Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Québec (FRSQ), Réseau Québécois de Recherche sur l'Usage des Médicaments (RQRUM), Réseau FRSQ pour le bien-être des enfants.