Use of herbal remedies and patient safety

Pregnant women use a lot of different herbal remedies, even though both efficacy and safety are poorly documented. Most herbal remedies do not have marketing authorisation as pharmaceuticals, but are marketed as dietary supplements. Evaluation of benefits and risks regarding these products may therefore be difficult, and manufacturers are not required to monitor and/or register potential adverse effects from these products.

The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study are one of the data sources the group are using, to gain more evidence-based knowledge within this field.

Current objectives:

• Safety regarding use of ginger during pregnancy.
• Attitudes towards and experiences with nausea and treatment of nausea during pregnancy.