Use of and attitudes toward complementary and alternative medicine among midwives in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to evaluate the use of and attitudes toward complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among midwives in Turkey. STUDY DESIGN: Information was requested from 129 midwives at family health centers in Samsun concerning their suggestions for the use of complementary and alternative medicine for pregnant women. RESULTS: 58.9% of the midwives in this study had suggested CAM methods to pregnant women. It was found that, among CAM methods, the midwives studied made use of herbal treatment, diets and exercises the most (32.6%, 27.9% and 28.7%, respectively) and acupuncture, relaxation techniques and fast walking the least (1.6%, 6.2%, and 7.0%, respectively). It was found that the CAM method most suggested by the midwives studied was herbal therapy, and this therapy was suggested for nausea-vomiting, anemia, gastralgic complaints, constipation, sore throat, insomnia, hypertension, sinusitis, cough, the common cold, stress, hemorrhoids and asthenia-fatigue. CONCLUSION: Complementary and alternative medicine, especially herbal therapy, is commonly suggested to pregnant women by those midwives studied in Samsun.