Significant associations seen particularly for congenital heart defects<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
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THURSDAY, April 20, 2023 (HealthDay News) — In utero exposure to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is associated with an increased risk for congenital malformations, according to a study published online April 19 in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica<\/em>.<\/p>\n Ting Peng, from Fudan University in Shanghai, and colleagues compared the prevalence of congenital malformations between 16,751 pregnant women with and without TCM exposure. <\/p>\n The researchers found that fetuses exposed to TCM had an increased risk for congenital malformations versus those without exposure (odds ratio [OR], 2.10; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.09 to 4.02) in an adjusted analysis. Specifically, congenital malformations were more common in women with early pregnancy exposure (OR, 2.04; 95 percent CI, 1.00 to 4.20) and for women who received two or more TCM formulas (OR, 5.84; 95 percent CI, 1.44 to 23.65). For congenital heart defects, prepregnancy TCM exposure was significantly associated with an increased risk (OR, 12.69; 95 percent CI, 3.01 to 53.51).<\/p>\n “To improve traditional Chinese medicine, we should pay more attention to its hazards — especially the identification of teratogenic ingredients — while also evaluating its therapeutic effects,” a coauthor said in a statement.<\/p>\n