Integrative approaches in women’s reproductive health: bridging traditional, homeopathic and alternative medicine with modern obstetric and gynecological care

Obstetrics and gynecology increasingly intersect with traditional, homeopathic, and alternative medicine as patients seek complementary options across the female reproductive lifespan, from menstrual and fertility concerns to pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. Practices such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, mind-body therapies, nutritional and homeopathic interventions are widely used for conditions including infertility, pregnancy-related symptoms, dysmenorrhea, polycystic ovary syndrome, and menopausal symptoms.

Yet despite their popularity, the evidence base remains uneven. Questions persist about mechanisms of action, safety in pregnancy, herb–drug interactions, standardization of protocols, and the methodological rigor of available trials. While some meta-analyses report encouraging trends in symptom relief and treatment outcomes, heterogeneity in study design, patient populations, and reporting continues to limit firm conclusions. The field therefore needs stronger mechanistic insight and robust, evidence-based frameworks to clarify the role of these interventions within contemporary women’s healthcare.

This Research Topic aims to examine how traditional, homeopathic, and alternative medicine can complement conventional obstetric and gynecological care, both mechanistically and clinically. Central questions include how these therapies interact with reproductive, hormonal, and neuroendocrine pathways; which biological markers mediate their effects; how safety can be ensured during pregnancy and across the reproductive lifespan; and how real-world clinical data can inform their appropriate integration. By bringing together mechanistic research, randomized controlled trials, and observational studies, the goal is to build a comprehensive and balanced understanding of the interplay between traditional and biomedical approaches in women’s health.

To gather further insights into evidence-based and mechanistic contributions of integrative medicine in obstetrics and gynecology, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Biological, hormonal, and neuroendocrine mechanisms of traditional, homeopathic, and alternative therapies in female reproductive regulation
• Integrative approaches to infertility and assisted reproductive technology outcomes
• Complementary management of gynecological conditions such as dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome
• Traditional, homeopathic, and alternative interventions for pregnancy-related symptoms and maternal well-being
• Management of menopausal and perimenopausal symptoms through integrative care
• Herbal pharmacology, safety, and herb–drug interactions during pregnancy and gynecological treatment
• Mind-body and psychophysiological mechanisms underlying treatment responses
• Real-world data, health economics, and patient-reported outcomes in integrative women’s health
• Policy, regulation, standardization, and education for integrative obstetric and gynecological care
• Integrative approaches to couple-based infertility care, including male infertility, spermatogenic disorders, and sperm DNA fragmentation in assisted reproduction
• Patient registries, clinical databases, and real-world evidence in reproductive and integrative medicine
• AI-assisted analysis and digital health applications in reproductive healthcare