Women urged to report remedies

The use of herbal medications with the potential for serious adverse effects is high among women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment, an Irish study has found.
“People do not regard them as medicine and often do not report them to doctors. There are concerns about the possible effects,” said Dr John Loughrey, Consultant Anaesthetist at the Rotunda Hospital.

Of patients attending the Human Assisted Reproduction Institute (HARI) at the hospital, 46 per cent admitted regular use of herbal medications when asked. Of those, 38 per cent had taken them in the three months prior to attending for treatment.
Such remedies could have ‘significant systemic effects’ such as interfering with blood clotting, said Dr Loughrey. Furthermore, no patient taking herbal preparations had discussed their use with the attending anaesthetist or fertility specialist prior to attending, the study stated.
“When asked, people generally say they are trying to boost their system in advance of becoming pregnant. Doctors need to remember to ask about these medicines – particularly surgical patients,” he said.
Echinacea was the most popular remedy followed by ginseng, ‘Chinese’ or ‘fertility herbs’ and then garlic. Others used included St John’s wort, gingko biloba, valerian, agnus cactus, chasteberry, goji berry, motherwort and horse chestnut.