Ginger eases nausea in pregnancy

Ginger may be helpful in easing nausea and vomiting (morning sickness) that occurs during pregnancy, without having any side effects on the unborn child.Eighty per cent of pregnant women experience morning sickness during the first trimester of pregnancy. While there are many medications designed to ease morning sickness, women often shy away from drugs during pregnancy out of fear of side effects to their unborn children. As a result, many women turn to alternative treatments, including vitamins, herbal products, homeopathic remedies and acupuncture. Among natural drugs, ginger has long been used to ease nausea, and there is some evidence that the botanical may relieve motion sickness and other types of queasiness.

Researchers from the University of Naples Frederico II in Italy scanned the medical literature and examined the effects of ginger in reducing nausea and vomiting in expecting mothers. They found six trials that tested ginger in 675 women with nausea in pregnancy. In four studies involving 246 women, ginger consistently beat out placebo in quelling nausea and vomiting, even in women with a severe form of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum.In a recent study, participants were randomly assigned to take a capsule containing 350 milligrams (mg) of ginger or one containing 25 mg of vitamin B6 three times a day for three weeks.

Ginger was equally effective as vitamin B6 at relieving nausea, vomiting and dry retching. Symptoms of morning sickness improved in a little more than half of the women in each group. Some studies reported side effects such as headache, diarrhea and drowsiness, but there were no differences in pregnancy outcomes between women taking placebo, vitamin B6 or ginger. However, this data is still preliminary, and more studies are needed to confirm that ginger is truly safe for pregnant women.
Other commonly used natural products for morning sickness include chamomile, peppermint and raspberry leaf, although none have been studied as extensively as ginger.