Despite an extensive search of the literature,only two studies on raspberry leaf could be found. Parsons et al.compared a group of women who took raspberry leaf with a control and found no adverse effects on mothers or babies. Raspberry
leaf appeared to decrease the likelihood of pre- or post-term gestation and women were less likely to require artificial rupture of membranes or operative delivery. A subsequent study by the same team showed no significant reduction in the length of first stage labour, but a mean difference in the second stages of approximately ten minutes.There was, again, a decrease in the number of operative deliveries in the study group but findingsgenerally were less conclusive than in the previoustrial (Box 1).