Insights & Discussion
Meta-analysis showed that date fruit consumption can significantly reduce the active phase of labor, and also significantly improve the bishop score.
Based on the performed searches, this is the first systematic review conducted on the effects of date on bishop score and frequency of caesarean section, and second one on the effects of date on the duration of labor stages. Meta-analysis showed that the consumption of date fruit can significantly reduce the duration of the active phase and improve the bishop score, and may reduce the frequency of cesarean section in intervention group compared to control group. Based on meta-analysis, date palm fruit consumption resulted in a significant reduction in the duration of active phase of labor compared with control group; however, it is not observed in the first, second, and the third stage of labor.
Discover Related Insights
Among the mentioned plants, castor oil and date fruit have more evidence in cervical ripening and onset of labor.
2022 Journal of Isfahan Medical School The Effect of Outpatient Herbal Drugs on Cervical Ripening and Onset of Labor: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Ghasemi M, Ebrahimzadeh-Zagami S, Ghavami V.
Systematic Review Castor Oil Date Fruit Labour
16 articles that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Meta-analysis was only possible on castor oil and date fruit. The chance of spontaneous onset of labor in was 5.760 and 2.205 times the castor oil and date groups, respectively. Moreover, the increase in bishop score in castor oil group was 2 times higher than the control group. The results of funnel plot and Egger test found no evidence of publication bias (P = 0.710).
Peganum, Sisymbrium, chamomile, and saffron were effective in cervical ripening and onset of labor. Evening primrose was effective on Bishop score, but had no effect on spontaneous onset of labor. Red raspberry leaves were not effective in spontaneous onset of labor.
Date fruit consumption several weeks prior to delivery can decrease the need for labor induction and/or augmentation and might have a beneficial effect on labor duration.
2021 Explore: The Journal of Science & Healing The effect of late pregnancy date fruit consumption on delivery progress – A meta-analysis Sagi-Dain L, Sagi S
Systematic Review Date Fruit Labour Induction
Our meta-analysis yields two prominent important benefits of date fruit consumption by primiparous women during several weeks prior the delivery. First, it can decrease the need for labor induction and/or augmentation by as much as one half of the cases. Second, date fruit might have a beneficial effect on labor duration, especially by 4-hour shortening of the latent phase.
Eating date fruits seems to reduce gestation duration and duration of the first stage of labor, and also increase cervical dilation on admission.
2019 Complementary Therapies in Medicine Effects of consuming date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera Linn) on gestation, labor, and delivery: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials Nasiri M, Gheibi Z, Miri A, Rahmani J, Asadi M, Sadeghi O, et al.
Systematic Review Cervical Dilation Date Fruit Labour Induction
In total, 11 and 8 studies were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-analysis revealed that date fruit consumption significantly reduced gestation duration, increased cervical dilation on admission, and shorten duration of first stage of labor. Also, it was revealed that date fruit consumption significantly reduced duration of second stage of labor in fixed-effects model; however, this effect was not significant in random-effects analysis.