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Natural Medicine and Contraceptive Methods

A study examined the relationship between the use of complementary medicine (CM) and women’s choices of contraceptive methods (1). A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey of Australian Women aged 34-39 years from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH) was conducted. Associations between use of CM and contraception were analysed using Chi-squared tests and multivariate logistic regression. Based on the responses from the included women, women who consulted a naturopath/herbalist were less likely to use implant contraceptives. Those consulting a chiropractor or an osteopath were more likely to use natural contraception. The authors conclude there may be a link between women's choice of contraceptive method and their use of CM, in particular, with CM practitioner consultations.