Abstract
BackgroundComplementary alternative medicine (CAM) is widely used among postpartum mothers to maintain their well-being. This study aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with CAM use among postpartum mothers in a primary-care clinic in Malaysia.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study of 725 postpartum mothers, aged 18 and above, attending a primary-care clinic. The systematic sampling method was used to recruit patients through a structured, self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 23. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of CAM use among postpartum mothers.ResultsThe prevalence of CAM use among postpartum mothers was 85.5%. Manipulative body therapies, including massage, reflexology, hot stone compression and body wrapping were the most widely used methods of CAM (84.1%) among postpartum mothers, followed by biological-based therapies (33.1%). More than half of the respondents (52.1%) opted to use CAM, as they had observed good results from other CAM users. However, our study showed that 57.1% of mothers who consumed herbal medicine reported neonatal jaundice in their newborn. The median of the expenditure on CAM usage was 250 Malaysian Ringgits, or USD 61.3 per month. According to multiple logistic regression analyses, being Muslim (OR = 5.258, 95% CI: 2.952–9.368), being Malay (OR = 4.414, 95% CI: 1.18–16.56), having a higher educational level (OR = 2.561, 95% CI: 1.587–4.133) and having delivered via spontaneous vaginal delivery (OR: 5.660, 95% CI: 3.454–9.276) had a significantly positive association with CAM use among postpartum mothers.ConclusionsThe prevalence of CAM use was high (8 out of 10) among postpartum mothers. Postpartum mothers who are Malay, Muslim, have a higher educational level and who have had spontaneous vaginal delivery tended to use CAM more. Manipulative body therapies, including massage, reflexology, hot stone compression and body wrapping, were the most widely used forms of CAM, followed by biological-based therapies. More than half of the mothers who consumed herbal medicine reported neonatal jaundice in their newborn. Thus, education to increase awareness regarding the consumption of herbs is urgently required in this country.
Highlights
Complementary alternative medicine (CAM) is widely used among postpartum mothers to maintain their well-being
The dependent variable was CAM use among postpartum mothers
Prevalence of CAM use The prevalence of CAM use among postpartum mothers was 85.5% (n = 620/725)
Summary
Complementary alternative medicine (CAM) is widely used among postpartum mothers to maintain their well-being. CAM is commonly classified, according to National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), into the following categories: alternative medical systems, biologically-based therapies, manipulative body therapies, mind–body therapies and energyhealing therapies [2]. A few studies have found that CAM is frequently used for patients with chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes [4, 5], as well as acute illnesses like dengue and herpes simplex [6,7,8] They are commonly used by postpartum mothers to reduce pain and postpartum blood loss by promoting wound healing and improving uterine recovery, along with increasing the production of breast milk. Studies have shown that relaxation therapy, aromatherapy and massages have increased in popularity among postpartum women to alleviate their health problems, including general malaise, stress and postpartum depression [17]
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