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, Maleki V, Khodadost M · Complementary Therapies in Medicine · 2019 August

DOI 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.05.017

Objective

We performed an updated systematic review and meta-analysis about the effects of consuming date fruits on gestation, labor, and delivery.

Conclusions

Date fruits intake seems to reduce gestation duration and duration of the first stage of labor, and also increase cervical dilation on admission.

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Insights

Eating date fruits seems to reduce gestation duration and duration of the first stage of labor, and also increase cervical dilation on admission.

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.