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Revista Matronas

Revista Matronas

DICIEMBRE 2017 N° 3 Volumen 5

Date fruit intake during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum to stimulate uterine activity

Section: Revisions

Authors

1 Esther Conde Puertas, 1 Leticia Molina García, 2 Inmaculada Hernández Herrerías

Position

1 Matrona. Hospital Materno-Infantil. Complejo Hospitalario Jaén. Servicio Andaluz de Salud. 2 Matrona. Distrito sanitario metropolitano de Granada. Servicio Andaluz de Salud.

Contact email: elyes291@hotmail.com

Abstract

Introduction: cervical ripening can be made faster with different methods (pharmacological, mechanical or natural). Among natural or alternative methods, date fruit intake could be a cheap, simple, and non-invasive option.
Purpose: to assess the effect of date fruit intake during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum on several obstetric outcomes.
Methods: a literature search and review of articles published over the last 20 years was carried out using databases Pubmed, Scopus, CINHAL and Web of Science, with the following keywords: “cervical rippening”, “date fruit”, “pregnancy” and “labor”, and Boolean operators AND and OR. Five randomized clinical trials and a prospective study were found.
Results: several studies have found that daily intake of date fruits during the weeks preceding labor and delivery result in more dilation at admission, a lower need for oxytocin and labor induction, and a lower latency phase. Date fruit intake shows a better development of dilation and a shorter labor time. Date fruit intake after delivery resulted in a reduction of postpartum bleeding, as compared to oxytocin.
Discussion/conclusions: date fruit intake seems to be an appropriate option for pregnant women, and may improve labor process, and reduce the need for induction and postpartum bleeding, due to its potential stimulating effect on uterine contractility.

Keywords:

cervical ripening; dates; pregnancylabor and delivery

Versión en Español

Título:

Consumo de dátiles durante la gestación, parto y postparto como estimulante de la actividad uterina

Artículo completo no disponible en este idioma / Full article is not available in this language

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