Natural Remedies and Choices in Maternity Care

More people are turning to complementary and alternative therapies to support medical conditions and seeking traditional remedies as an alternative or complement to conventional treatments.1 The World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledges the value of traditional medicine and has developed a Traditional Medicine Strategy to strengthen the role of traditional medicine in promoting public health.2 Pregnant women are increasingly exploring natural homeopathic remedies to support them throughout pregnancy and childbirth.3 A common misconception is that all-natural remedies are inherently safe, but this is not always the case. Some herbal remedies contain ingredients that can be harmful to a developing foetus if taken during pregnancy.4