Effects of Pomegranate and Spearmint Syrup on Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVP) affects approximately 50% - 80% of expecting mothers. NVP can impose negative effects on the quality of life; therefore, more attention should be paid to improve patients’ health outcomes. Objectives: The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the efficacy of pomegranate and spearmint syrup on NVP. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 74 pregnant women with moderate NVP were divided into 2 groups via block randomization method. A total of 24 and 31 patients were analyzed in the syrup and vitamin B6 groups, respectively. The 24-hour pregnancy-unique quantification of emesis (PUQE-24) scale was used to examine the severity of NVP. The intervention included the use of pomegranate syrup (5 cc/TDS) plus vitamin B6 in the syrup group; on the other hand, the control group only received B6 tablets (20 mg/TDS) for 1 week. The subjects were followed-up for 1 week without any interventions. Data were analyzed, using Chi square test for qualitative variables, t test and Mann-Whitney U test for quantitative variables, and Friedman test for repeated measures. Results: There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of demographic and pregnancy characteristics. The mean PUQE-24 score in the syrup group was 9.4 ± 1.8 at baseline, 4.6 ± 1.5 on day 7, and 4.8 ± 2.6 on day 14 (P < 0.001). The mean PUQE-24 score in the control group was 8.5 ± 1.5 at baseline, 6 ± 2.3 on day 7, and 6.2 ± 2.6 on day 14 (P < 0.001). Although a major decline in PUQE-24 scores was observed in both groups, it was more significant in the syrup group (P = 0.001). Also, the PUQE-24 score was significantly lower in the syrup group, compared to the control group on days 7 and 14 (P = 0.02). The visual analog scale scores also showed a greater reduction in the syrup group, compared to the control group (4.7 ± 2.8 vs. 1.6 ± 3; P = 0.001). No significant difference was observed between the groups regarding the duration of nausea, frequency of vomiting, and frequency of retching; also, no complications were reported. Conclusions: The effectiveness of pomegranate and spearmint syrup in reducing NVP was confirmed in the syrup group versus the control group with significant differences.