Background: This nationwide study assessed the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) methods in departments of obstetrics in Croatia and compared it with an identical assessment carried out in Germany.
Methods: All Croatian obstetrics departments were sent a questionnaire already tested in Germany which assessed the use of CAM methods: whether any were used during childbirth and if so how frequently, and the reasons behind their application.
Results: Questionnaires were returned by 100% (36/36) of departments identified. The only used CAM therapy was acupuncture, which was available in 5.6% (2/36) of the departments. All other methods (homeopathy, aromatherapy, massage etc.) were not used at all. Furthermore, acupuncture was only administered by physicians. These findings were found to strongly contrast with the findings from Germany.
Conclusions: Among the main CAM methods only acupuncture is used to a small extent in the field of obstetrics in Croatia. Thus, the impression from the literature that shows a considerable use of CAM in this area definitely does not apply for all parts of the world. Future studies should seek to identify the reasons behind the intensive use of CAM in Germany and its virtual non-use in Croatia. This also means that analyses of CAM use are required with respect to perinatal outcome, the results of which could finally help decide about the reasonability of CAM.
2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.