Matthews, Anne ORCID: 0000-0002-4845-869X, Dowswell, Theresa, Haas, David and O'Mathúna, Dónal ORCID: 0000-0001-5331-3340 (2010) Interventions for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 9 . ISSN 1469-493X
Abstract
Background
Nausea, retching and vomiting are very commonly experienced by women in early pregnancy. There are considerable physical and psychological effects on women who experience these symptoms. This is an update of a review of interventions for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy previously published in 2003.
Objectives
To assess the effectiveness and safety of all interventions for nausea, vomiting and retching in early pregnancy, up to 20 weeks’ gestation.
Search methods
We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group’s Trials Register (28 May 2010).
Selection criteria
All randomised controlled trials of any intervention for nausea, vomiting and retching in early pregnancy. We excluded trials of interventions for hyperemesis gravidarum which are covered by another review. We also excluded quasi-randomised trials and trials using a crossover design.
Data collection and analysis
Four review authors, in pairs, reviewed the eligibility of trials and independently evaluated the risk of bias and extracted the data for included trials.
Main results
Twenty-seven trials, with 4041 women, met the inclusion criteria. These trials covered many interventions, including acupressure, acustimulation, acupuncture, ginger, vitamin B6 and several antiemetic drugs. We identified no studies of dietary or other lifestyle interventions. Evidence regarding the effectiveness of P6 acupressure, auricular (ear) acupressure and acustimulation of the P6 point was limited. Acupuncture (P6 or traditional) showed no significant benefit to women in pregnancy. The use of ginger products may be helpful to women, but the evidence of effectiveness was limited and not consistent. There was only limited evidence from trials to support the use of pharmacological agents including vitamin B6, and anti-emetic drugs to relieve mild or moderate nausea and vomiting. There was little information on maternal and fetal adverse outcomes and on psychological, social or economic outcomes. We were unable to pool findings from studies for most outcomes due to heterogeneity in study participants, interventions, comparison groups, and outcomes measured or reported. The methodological quality of the included studies was mixed.
Authors’ conclusions
Given the high prevalence of nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy, health professionals need to provide clear guidance to women, based on systematically reviewed evidence. There is a lack of high-quality evidence to support that advice. The difficulties in interpreting the results of the studies included in this review highlight the need for specific, consistent and clearly justified outcomes and approaches to measurement in research studies.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article (Published) |
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Refereed: | Yes |
Uncontrolled Keywords: | Acupuncture Therapy; Morning Sickness (etiology & therapy); Pregnancy Complications (therapy); Treatment Outcome; Vitamin B 6 (therapeutic use); Vitamin B Complex (therapeutic use); Vomiting (etiology & therapy); Pregnancy |
Subjects: | Medical Sciences > Nursing |
DCU Faculties and Centres: | DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science and Health > School of Nursing and Human Sciences |
Publisher: | John Wiley & Sons |
Official URL: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD007575.pub2 |
Copyright Information: | © 2010 The Authors |
Use License: | This item is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License. View License |
ID Code: | 19652 |
Deposited On: | 13 Nov 2013 16:51 by Fran Callaghan . Last Modified 14 Nov 2023 12:19 |
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