Abstract
BackgroundChildbearing women have been using various herbs to assist with pregnancy, labour and birth for centuries. One of the most common is raspberry leaf. The evidence base for the use of raspberry leaf is however under-developed. It is incumbent on midwives and other maternity care providers to provide women with evidence-based information so they can make informed choices. The aim of this study was to review the research literature to identify the evidence base on the biophysical effects, safety and efficacy of raspberry leaf in pregnancy.MethodsA systematic, integrative review was undertaken. Six databases were searched to identify empirical research papers published in peer reviewed journals including in vitro, in vivo, human and animal studies. The search included the databases CINAHL, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection and AMED. Identified studies were appraised independently by two reviewers using the MMAT appraisal instrument. An integrative approach was taken to analysis.ResultsThirteen studies were included. Five were laboratory studies using animal and human tissue, two were experiments using animals, and six were human studies. Included studies were published between 1941 and 2016. Raspberry leaf has been shown to have biophysical effects on animal and human smooth muscle including the uterus. Toxity was demonstrated when high doses were administered intravenously or intaperitoneally in animal studies. Human studies have not shown any harm or benefit though one study demonstrated a clinically meaningful (though non-statistically significant) reduction in length of second stage and augmentation of labour in women taking raspberry leaf.ConclusionsMany women use raspberry leaf in pregnancy to facilitate labour and birth. The evidence base supporting the use of raspeberry leaf in pregnancy is weak and further research is needed to address the question of raspberry leaf’s effectiveness.
Highlights
Childbearing women have been using various herbs to assist with pregnancy, labour and birth for centuries
While midwifery has evolved since the time of Martha Ballard, the use of herbs in pregnancy remains widespread, parturients which are herbs that are thought to aid childbirth [2]
Thirty records were excluded prior to full text review; 19 as they did not report on safety or efficacy of raspberry leaf but rather prevalence of use, 10 as they were reporting on agriculture findings of the herb or other members of the Rubus family, and 1 as it was a theoretical discussion of the constituents and actions
Summary
Childbearing women have been using various herbs to assist with pregnancy, labour and birth for centuries. The evidence base for the use of raspberry leaf is under-developed. It is incumbent on midwives and other maternity care providers to provide women with evidence-based information so they can make informed choices. Martha Ballard for example was an eighteenth-century midwife who attended almost one thousand births in her long career. Her diary references the use of many different herbs and illustrates the primary ritual of her practice involving the gathering of remedies from the earth [1]. The critical issue for the contemporary midwife is the evidence base for the use of such preparations
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
