1. Introduction

Herbal medicine has been used for disease prevention and treating ailments worldwide. It is known that between 65 and 85% of the world population used herbal medicine as their primary form of health care [1]. The prevalence of herbal medicine use during pregnancy ranges from 12 to 82.3% [2, 3]. Ginger, garlic, raspberry, cranberry, valerian, chamomile, peppermint and fenugreek are frequently used herbal medicines during pregnancy [2, 4–11]. Using herbal medicine during pregnancy has controversial issues. Even though, herbal medicine is easily available as

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and eproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

compared to other medicines, the safety issue during pregnancy is a concern. Using herbal medicine in first 3 months and late in third trimester is dangerous for the foetus. Before using any herbal medicine, it is better to consult the doctor and the pharmacist to ensure that the herbs are appropriate and safe to use during pregnancy [12]. In pregnancy, mothers are concerned about all medications that may affect their health, the health of the foetus, and the pregnancy outcomes. Availing evidence-based information about benefits and untoward effects of herbal medicine use during pregnancy is important for safer pregnancy and healthy foetus. The aim of this chapter is to provide the best available information on benefits and untoward effects of herbal medicine use during pregnancy. This chapter identified the prevalence of herbal medicine use during pregnancy across regions and countries. The chapter also identified the commonly used herbs and described the character of women who used herbs during pregnancy. The benefits and untoward effects of commonly used herbal medicine during pregnancy are reviewed based on scientific findings.

2.1. Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

2.1.1. Benefits of ginger

root, imber, and Jamaica ginger [20].

women should not use higher dose of ginger.

stomach discomfort and heartburn [24–27].

ingredient and as a spice in different countries [28].

2.1.2. Untoward effects of ginger

2.2. Garlic (Allium sativa)

2.2.1. Benefits of garlic

the foetuses [31].

Common names of ginger is African ginger, black ginger, Cochin ginger, gingembre, ginger

Herbal Medicine Use during Pregnancy: Benefits and Untoward Effects

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Ginger is used as anti-nauseant and anti-emetic for nausea and for hyperemesis gravidarum. The recommended daily dose of ginger is up to 1g dried powder [21]. A single blind clinical trial showed ginger as an effective herbal medicine for decreasing nausea and vomiting during

A randomized controlled clinical trial conducted on 120 women over 20 weeks of gestation with symptoms of morning sickness showed consumption of 1500 mg of dried ginger for 4 days improves nausea and vomiting. The study also revealed that newborns whose mothers consumed ginger during pregnancy had normal birth weights and normal APGAR score [23]. Consumption of ginger in amounts used in food preparation is likely to be safe. Taking 1–2 g dried ginger over the course of a day has been shown to relive symptoms of minor disorder of pregnancy [24–26]. Using higher doses of ginger is not safe for pregnant women. Thus, pregnant

A literature review reported that ginger is not a safe herb. It is a potential abortifacient with high doses (>1000 mg daily consumption). Higher doses of ginger can cause thinning of blood,

Garlic is a perennial herb cultivated in different countries. It is commonly used as a food

Study conducted on antimicrobial and antifungal activity of garlic showed antibacterial and antifungal features of garlic make it nutritious to consume during pregnancy [29]. Garlic enhances a woman's immune system; this in turn helps women to have healthy pregnancy and healthy babies. Eating garlic during pregnancy is important to reduce the risk of preeclampsia and protein retention in urine [30]. A randomized controlled study was conducted where 100 primigravida were treated with either garlic tablets (800 mg/day) or placebo during the third trimester of pregnancy to determine the effect of garlic tablets supplementation on preeclampsia. With the exception of a garlic odour, the few side effects like nausea were reported because of garlic consumption during the third trimester of pregnancy. Pregnancy outcomes were comparable in both treated with garlic and the placebo group. The study did not report any incidence of major or minor malformations in newborn infants and there were no spontaneous abortions of

pregnancy. This study also suggested a daily total of 100 mg ginger in a capsule [22].
