The safety of herbal supplements is unclear, yet a new study finds nearly ten percent of expectant mothers in the United States take them.
A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that herbal supplement use was highest during the first trimester. This is a critical period when the fetus's organs are developing.
The products used most often in early pregnancy were ginger, which is said to ease morning sickness without side effects to an unborn child. Ephedra, an herbal stimulant that was banned after the study period, is also used.
Herbal teas and chamomile were the most commonly used products throughout pregnancy.
The study was published the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, December 2009 and included data from more than 4,000 women who had babies between 1998 and 2004.
