Positive Health Online

Abstract

VUTYAVANICH and colleagues, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, tvutyava@mail.med.cmu.ac.th investigated the effectiveness of ginger for treating nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.

Background

Methodology

70 women with nausea and vomiting of pregnancy who first attended an antenatal clinic at or before 17 weeks’ gestation were randomized in a double-masked design to receive for 4 days either: 1) oral ginger 1 gram/day or; 2) an identical placebo. Before treatment, and again during the 4 consecutive days while taking treatment, the women graded the severity of their nausea using visual analogue scales (VAS) and recorded the number of vomiting episodes in the previous 24 hours. The severity of their symptoms was assessed at a follow-up visit 7 days later using 5-item Likert scales.

Results

All participants, except 3 in the placebo group, remained in the study. VAS scores of nausea decreased significantly in the ginger group (by 2.1) compared with the placebo group (0.9; p=0.014). The number of vomiting episodes decreased significantly in the ginger group (by 1.4) compared with the placebo group (0.3; p<0.001). Likert scales showed that nausea symptoms improved in 28 of 32 in the ginger group, compared with 10 of 35 in the placebo group (p<0.001). No adverse effect of ginger on pregnancy outcome was detected.

Conclusion

The authors concluded that ginger is effective for relieving the severity of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.

References

Vutyavanich T et al. Ginger for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial. Obstetrics and Gynecology 97 (4): 577-82. Apr 2001.

Comment

Many pregnant women already use ginger to help with nausea and vomiting; it is good to see the clinical research supporting the efficacy of ginger in this regard.