Women's use of complementary and alternative medicine in pregnancy: Narratives of transformation

BackgroundPregnancy and childbirth constitute a time of transition in women's lives. Many women turn to complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) during pregnancy. However, little is known about women's experiences of CAM in relation to their pregnancy and childbirth journey.Methodsa narrative study aimed to gain insight into the experiences of women who use CAM in pregnancy and to explore the contribution CAM made to their pregnancy and childbirth journey. Interviews were conducted with 14 women who had used a range of CAMs during pregnancy and birth. Data analysis focussed on the meaning and significance of CAM use in pregnancy and a number of core themes emerged.ResultsThis paper presents some findings from this research which reveals a narrative genre that can be defined as transformational. CAM has a positive transformational effect on women's experience of pregnancy and childbirth.ConclusionWomen's narratives illustrate the positive impact of CAM on the subjective experiences of pregnancy and childbirth.