Alternative cures offer little relief from morning sickness
There is little evidence to suggest alternative therapies have any impact, a study by international researchers showed. Photo: Getty Images
Thursday September 09 2010
THERE is little evidence to suggest alternative therapies, including ginger biscuits, have any impact on morning sickness suffered by pregnant women, new research revealed yesterday.
There is a reluctance to use anti-sickness drugs in pregnancy due to fears which conjure up memories of thalidomide, the 1960s drug for nausea which led to birth defects.
But there is little evidence to suggest alternative therapies have any impact, a study by international researchers, including reviewers from Dublin City University School of Nursing, showed.
'Morning sickness', vomiting and nausea, can strike at any time of the day and affects around 50pc of pregnant women. It can be severe enough to lead to two in every 100 women being hospitalised and has led women for generations to turn to various remedies.
The researchers conducted nearly 30 strictly controlled trials involving more than 4,000 women who were up to 20 weeks pregnant.
They looked at:
- Six studies of acupressure and two of acupuncture, and found these methods offered no significant benefit.
- One study of acustimulation -- mild electrical stimulation of acupuncture points -- with some improvement over three weeks.
- Ginger, which is used in various forms from biscuits to tablets and vitamin B6. There was limited benefit, but ginger also caused heartburn in some people.
Dublin City University's Dr Anne Matthews said: "It is not possible to identify with confidence any safe and effective interventions for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy.
Treatments
"Despite the wealth of different treatments available, the difficulties in interpreting the results of the studies highlight the need for further, more rigorous trials in this area."
Dietary and lifestyle changes that may help reduce symptoms include:
- Getting plenty of rest.
- Drinking little and often, rather than in large amounts, because this may help prevent vomiting. Eating small, frequent meals that are high in carbohydrate and low in fat (savoury foods, such as toast, crackers and crisp-bread, are usually better tolerated than sweet or spicy foods).
- Eating cold meals rather than hot ones because they do not give off the smell that hot meals often do, which may provoke nausea.
- Eating plain biscuits before getting up.
- Avoiding foods or smells that trigger your symptoms.
- Avoiding drinks that are cold, tart (sharp) or sweet.
- Wearing comfortable clothes without tight waistbands, which can sometimes make you feel uncomfortable.
There is anti-sickness medicine available through doctors but they can have side effects.
Meanwhile, the Government has been urged to fund research into the prevalence of disabilities suffered by babies whose mothers drank alcohol while pregnant.
"We already know that six out of 10 Irish women continue drinking during their pregnancy -- a fact which is desperately worrying," Alcohol Action Ireland's Fiona Ryan said.
Yesterday was the 11th International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Day.
"There is concern in Ireland as to the potential extent of FASD due to our high consumption rates of alcohol and our harmful patterns of drinking," Ms Ryan added.
A Europe-wide project is in place to address the issue of children affected by parental alcohol problems.
- Eilish O'Regan Health Correspondent
Irish Independent
