META-ANALYSIS ON THE ROLE OF HOMEOPATHY IN PRENATAL CARE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE EVIDENCE

Abstract

Background:
Homeopathy is widely used during pregnancy for symptoms such as nausea, back pain, anxiety, and for labor induction. However, the clinical efficacy and safety of these interventions remain controversial.

Objectives:
To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of homeopathic interventions in prenatal care based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods:
This review was conducted according to PRISMA 2020. Comprehensive searches were performed in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Scopus, Google Scholar, and IndMED/AYUSH databases from January 1990 to June 2025. Eligible studies were RCTs evaluating homeopathy in pregnant women, with placebo, no treatment, or standard care as comparators. Data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment (Cochrane RoB 2.0) were performed independently by two reviewers. Meta-analyses were conducted using RevMan 5.4, with the GRADE approach applied to assess evidence certainty.

Results:
Thirty-eight RCTs (n = 3,215 participants; 14 countries) met inclusion criteria. Ten trials (n = 820) on nausea/vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) yielded a pooled risk ratio (RR) of 1.08 (95% CI 0.92–1.26; p = 0.33; I² = 58%; low-certainty evidence). Two trials (n = 133) on labor induction showed no significant effect “(RR 0.89; 95% CI 0.70–1.13; I² = 0%; very low certainty)”. Other outcomes (leg cramps, back pain, emotional distress) demonstrated inconsistent results and substantial heterogeneity. Fourteen studies reported safety data, with no serious maternal or fetal adverse events attributed to homeopathy.

Conclusions:
Current RCT evidence does not demonstrate clinically meaningful benefits of homeopathy in prenatal care. While no serious safety concerns were identified, safety data remain limited. Clinicians are advised to rely on evidence-based interventions for managing pregnancy-related symptoms, and future trials should adopt rigorous design, adequate sample sizes, and standardized outcome measures.