Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41184969›Full record

ArticlePharmacoepidemiology and drug safety2025

Perinatal Outcomes After the Use of Kampo Medicines Containing Ephedra During Pregnancy.

Aoi Noda, Ryutaro Arita, Taku Obara, Minoru Ohsawa, Satoko Suzuki, Ken Haneda, Ryo Obara, Kei Morishita, Genki Shinoda, Keiko Murakami and 6 more

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In one paragraph

Article in Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Aoi NodaTohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.ORCID 0000-0002-7644-6848
Ryutaro AritaDepartment of Kampo and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Taku ObaraTohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Minoru OhsawaDepartment of Kampo and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Satoko SuzukiDepartment of Kampo and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Ken HanedaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan.
Ryo ObaraDepartment of Molecular Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.ORCID 0000-0003-1022-3569
Kei MorishitaDepartment of Molecular Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.ORCID 0000-0002-0250-2800
Genki ShinodaTohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Keiko MurakamiTohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Masatsugu OruiTohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Mami IshikuroTohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Akiko KikuchiDepartment of Kampo and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Shin TakayamaDepartment of Kampo and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Tadashi IshiiDepartment of Kampo and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Shinichi KuriyamaTohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.

Funding

Japan Agency for Medical Research and DevelopmentJapan Society for the Promotion of Science
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeJapanese traditional (Kampo) medicines containing ephedra are used to relieve symptoms of the common cold during pregnancy. The risks associated with perinatal outcomes, however, remain unclear. Thus, we evaluated the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes associated with the use of Kampo medicines containing ephedra during pregnancy using data from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study (TMM BirThree Cohort Study).

methodsQuestionnaires were distributed to pregnant women who participated in the TMM BirThree Cohort Study at approximately weeks 12 and 26 of pregnancy. Adverse perinatal outcomes in women who used Kampo medicines containing ephedra or acetaminophen during pregnancy were assessed. Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated using weighted logistic regression analyses.

resultsAmong 20 083 pregnant women, acetaminophen and Kampo medicines containing ephedra were used by 5.3% and 3.5% of women, respectively. The OR for caesarean section was 0.95 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.75-1.20), for preterm birth (PTB) was0.99 (95% CI, 0.63-1.55), for low birth weight (LBW) was 1.04 (95% CI, 0.72-1.49), for small for gestational age (SGA) was 0.98 (95% CI, 0.58-1.65), and for low Apgar scores at 5 min was 0.85 (95% CI, 0.25-2.93) in the women who used Kampo medicines containing ephedra during pregnancy.

conclusionsNo statistically significant association was seen between the use of Kampo medicines containing ephedra during pregnancy and an increased risk of needing a caesarean section, PTB, LBW, SGA, or low Apgar scores. Although further research is needed, this study may assist in clinical decision-making.

Indexed as

EphedraMedicine, KampoPregnancy OutcomeAcetaminophenAdultCesarean SectionCohort StudiesFemaleHumansInfant, Low Birth WeightInfant, NewbornJapanPregnancyPremature BirthSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultAcetaminophenbirth cohortherbal medicinejapanese traditional medicineKampo medicinemedication useperinatal outcomepregnant women

Identifiers

PMID41184969
PMCPMC12583451

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LicenceCC BY
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.