The Prevalence of Using Complementary and Alternative Medicine among Infertile Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by infertile patientshas significantly increased over the past decades. So, the current study aimed to assess the prevalence of CAM use among infertile patients. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted based on the preferred reported items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA). The required data were obtained by searching some English databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and other records identified through The Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed cross-sectional studies published in English journals up to March 2023, examining the prevalence of CAM use among infertile patients. The retrieved articles were independently assessed by two reviewers, and any discrepancy was resolved through discussion until consensus was reached. Results: Of 1192 documents reviewed, a total of 29 studies were included in this review. The results of the meta-analysis conducted on 32804 infertile patients showed that the prevalence rate of CAM use was between 26.3% (95% CI 21.7 to 31.3%) and 96.1% (95% CI 95.7 to 96.5%) in various countries. The pooled prevalence rate was calculated using random effects model. It was 54% (95% CI 46 to 61%) overall infertile women and men, 55% (95% CI 47 to 67%) and 29% (95% CI 17 to 41%) among infertile women and men separately. Conclusion: More than half of the infertile patients used CAM. Healthcare practitioners need to be aware of this practice to better provide care. Further studies are needed to examine the reasons for using CAM by infertile patients.