Pepper mint is effective in improving pregnancy nausea
Researchers at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in their study of the effect of aromatherapy with peppermint essential oil on nausea in pregnancy found that peppermint essential oil reduces nausea in pregnancy; On the other hand, the findings confirmed that maintaining peace of mind during pregnancy reduces the severity of nausea and vomiting; Therefore, it is recommended that proper breathing methods and relaxation techniques be considered in pregnancy training programs.
Degrees of nausea with or without vomiting occur in 50 to 90% of all pregnancies, and the disorder is more common in Western and urban areas than in African and Asian countries.
Although the exact course of this complication is not known; But psychological factors, hormonal changes, gastrointestinal motility changes, and Helicobacter pylori are the main possible hypotheses for nausea in pregnancy.
Studies have shown that nausea and vomiting during pregnancy have a significant effect on family life, ability to perform normal daily activities, social functioning and stress levels. There are several treatments for nausea and vomiting, including dietary changes, medication, and serum injections.
Aromatherapy or aromatherapy is a type of complementary medicine in which the therapist uses the essential oil of plants by inhalation or massage to treat diseases.
Pregnant women are reluctant to use the drug during pregnancy for fear of teratogenic effects that can cause abnormalities in the fetus.
For this reason, the use of complementary and alternative medicine is common among women, especially in the reproductive years. Today, midwives around the world often use complementary medicine in their profession. Aromatherapy is one of the most common treatments recommended by midwives.
Peppermint mint, scientifically named Mentha piperita L., is a perennial and fragrant plant and herbal therapists use it as antispasmodic, analgesic, antidepressant, lactation enhancer, sedative and for the treatment of respiratory and urinary tract infections, diarrhea, diabetes, varicose veins. And use painful menstruation.
Peppermint essential oil is obtained by distilling the aerial parts of the plant. Inhalation of this essential oil can be used to reduce fever, relieve nausea and vomiting, and improve digestion. Pepper mint essential oil has anticonvulsant effects against the 5-HT3 receptor channel, which can have a positive effect on nausea and vomiting.
Pepper mint is in group B2 in the classification of drug use during pregnancy. Group B drugs are drugs that animal studies have not shown to be dangerous to the fetus or have caused side effects in animal fetuses, but not enough studies have been performed in humans and there is no evidence of a risk of drug use during pregnancy.
Pepper mint essential oil is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) on the FDA list. Extensive use of complementary medicine methods, especially herbal remedies, and insufficient evidence on the efficacy and safety of herbs during pregnancy are cases that require special attention and research seems to be conducted to determine the prevalence, safety, efficacy, and economic benefits of using These methods are essential.
Due to the lack of sufficient studies in this field, researchers at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences investigated the effect of aromatherapy with peppermint essential oil on nausea during pregnancy.
This study was a blind-head clinical trial performed on 56 pregnant women with mild to moderate nausea and vomiting (NVP) at 6 to 20 weeks of gestation.
After determining the gestational age and severity of nausea and vomiting, individuals were randomly divided into one of two groups of mint or placebo oil.
Inhalation aromatherapy was performed for four days at the end of each day. They answered the Nausea and Vomiting Questionnaire (PUQE) daily. The obtained data were analyzed using statistical methods.
Although the severity of nausea and vomiting was significantly reduced in both groups, the comparison of the severity of nausea and vomiting during the study period and at the end between the placebo group and the mint essential oil group was not significant.
Studies showed that due to the possibility of neural mechanisms that cause nausea and vomiting, in this study the effect of aromatherapy was similar to peppermint and placebo essential oils.
It seems that this similarity may be due to neurological mechanisms caused by nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. Psychological factors such as maintaining peace of mind during pregnancy reduce the severity of nausea and vomiting.
To empower women to maintain peace of mind, it is recommended that proper breathing techniques and relaxation techniques be considered in pregnancy education programs.