Insights & Discussion
Acupoint stimulation shows promise in alleviating nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.
This review assesses acupoint stimulation techniques for treating nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) and hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). Of 29 studies, 20 were included in quantitative analyses. Acupressure, acupuncture, auricular acupressure, and moxibustion were examined. While acupressure showed a 41% reduction in symptom severity, acupuncture had double the effect of control groups, and moxibustion improved symptoms by 65%. Continuous outcome measures did not show significant relief. Adverse events were minimal. The study calls for more rigorous trials, emphasizing the need for blinding and standardizing treatment protocols for conclusive results on acupoint stimulation's efficacy in NVP and HG.
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Acupuncture is an effective approach for hyperemesis gravidarum and has a great potential to mitigate ketonuria, ease nausea and vomiting, increase food intake, and shorten the hospital stay.
2021 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Effectiveness of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Hyperemesis Gravidarum: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Haizhen Lu, Chengwen Zheng, Yanmei Zhong, Linhao Cheng, Yi Zhou
Systematic Review Morning Sickness
Studies meeting inclusion criteria, from 1995 to 2020, have been incorporated into this meta-analysis to make evaluations on the outcome of acupuncture in the treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). Totally, 16 studies and 1043 patients (531 vs 512) were covered. According to this study, acupuncture was more effective than the conventional treatment of HG; it could better promote the conversion of the urinary ketone to improve ketonuria. In terms of symptoms, acupuncture seems to be more effective in reducing nausea and vomiting and increasing food intake.
In short, acupuncture is an effective approach for HG and has a great potential to mitigate ketonuria, ease nausea and vomiting, increase food intake, and shorten the hospital stay. There is some evidence that acupuncture may be utilized as a supplement and alternative to HG. However, the poor quality of the incorporated studies and potential publication bias can exert a certain impact on the results. For the better clinical application and promotion of acupuncture in the treatment of HG, more large-scale samples, multi-center, and top-quality RCTs are needed urgently. In the future, it is necessary to further study the relationship between acupuncture and conventional medication and acupuncture placebo to obtain the best clinical solution.
Ginger has been effective in a majority of studies, including those that examined the alleviation of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, digestive function, improvement in the expression level of markers for colorectal cancer risk, and anti-inflammatory functions.
2020 Nutrients Ginger on Human Health: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of 109 Randomized Controlled Trials Anh NH, Kim SJ, Long NP, Min JE, Yoon YC, Lee EG, et al.
Systematic Review Anti-Inflammatory Bowel Cancer Digestive Health
Ginger is a natural spice that is used in diverse regions to add a pungent flavor to food. Furthermore, ginger has been used as an herbal medicine for common health problems. This systematic review is the first study that has exclusively collected RCTs regarding the efficiency of ginger in several human health conditions. The clinical effects of ginger have been introduced as six subsections: nausea and vomiting, gastrointestinal function, pain, inflammation, metabolic syndromes, and other symptoms. Reportedly, ginger has been effective in a majority of studies, including those that examined the alleviation of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, digestive function, improvement in the expression level of markers for colorectal cancer risk, and anti-inflammatory functions. Several other functions have also been regarded as beneficial in trials, with some confronting results. However, a few drawbacks regarding the quality of the trials, inconsistent evaluation systems or parameters, and the generally small size of the studies need to be noted. Therefore, systematically designed research with detailed descriptions of methodology and a sufficient pool of participants is necessary for future clinical trials to address the functional characteristics of ginger.
Ginger emerges as a safe and effective treatment for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy.
2018 Foods How Safe Is Ginger Rhizome for Decreasing Nausea and Vomiting in Women during Early Pregnancy? Stanisiere J, Mousset PY, Lafay S
Systematic Review Morning Sickness
Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) affect 7 in 10 pregnant women, significantly impacting their quality of life. Concerns about the safety of traditional antiemetic drugs have led to the consideration of natural options like ginger, which has shown favorable risk/benefit ratios and strong evidence. Ginger supplements with 0.5 to 2 g of root per day can effectively alleviate NVP. However, ensuring ginger quality is crucial, especially in monitoring methyleugenol concentration for potential toxicity. The variability in gingerol composition among supplements underscores the importance of stringent quality control measures. Studies have not found significant reproductive or developmental risks associated with ginger use during pregnancy, but medical supervision and case-specific evaluation are essential. Further research on ginger's effect on platelet aggregation in pregnant women is recommended.
Ginger could be considered a harmless and possibly effective alternative option for women suffering from nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
2014 Nutrition Journal A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect and safety of ginger in the treatment of pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting Viljoen, E., Visser, J., Koen, N. et al.
Systematic Review Ginger Morning Sickness
This review suggests potential benefits of ginger in reducing nausea symptoms in pregnancy (bearing in mind the limited number of studies, variable outcome reporting and low quality of evidence). Ginger did not significantly affect vomiting episodes, nor pose a risk for side-effects or adverse events during pregnancy. Based on evidence from this systematic review, ginger could be considered a harmless and possibly effective alternative option for women suffering from nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.