ATLANTA—According to a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, potentially 395,000 U.S. births annually involve antenatal exposure to herbal products (2010; Dec. 28, 2010). The National Birth Defects Prevention Study is an ongoing, population-based, case-control study. This analysis included 4,239 women from 10 centers in the United States who delivered infants without major birth defects from 1998 to 2004.
The prevalence of reported herbal use three months before or during pregnancy was 10.9 percent. During pregnancy, prevalence was 9.4 percent and was highest in the first trimester. Higher prevalence was associated with age greater than 30 years and education greater than 12 years. Use varied considerably by state (5 percent to 17 percent). Ginger and ephedra were the most commonly reported products early in pregnancy; teas and chamomile were most commonly reported throughout pregnancy. Health care providers should inquire routinely about herbal use and educate patients about what little is known regarding risks of these products.