Effects of Pomegranate and Spearmint Syrup on Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Background Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVP) affects approximately 50% - 80% of expecting mothers. NVP can impose negative effects on the quality of life; therefore, more attention should be paid to improve patients’ health outcomes. Objectives The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the efficacy of pomegranate and spearmint syrup on NVP. Methods In this randomized clinical trial, 74 pregnant women with moderate NVP were divided into 2 groups via block randomization method. A total of 24 and 31 patients were analyzed in the syrup and vitamin B6 groups, respectively. The 24-hour pregnancy-unique quantification of emesis (PUQE-24) scale was used to examine the severity of NVP. The intervention included the use of pomegranate syrup (5 cc/TDS) plus vitamin B6 in the syrup group; on the other hand, the control group only received B6 tablets (20 mg/TDS) for 1 week. The subjects were followed-up for 1 week without any interventions. Data were analyzed, using Chi square test for qualitative variables, t test and Mann-Whitney U test for quantitative variables, and Friedman test for repeated measures. Results There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of demographic and pregnancy characteristics. The mean PUQE-24 score in the syrup group was 9.4 ± 1.8 at baseline, 4.6 ± 1.5 on day 7, and 4.8 ± 2.6 on day 14 (P < 0.001). The mean PUQE-24 score in the control group was 8.5 ± 1.5 at baseline, 6 ± 2.3 on day 7, and 6.2 ± 2.6 on day 14 (P < 0.001). Although a major decline in PUQE-24 scores was observed in both groups, it was more significant in the syrup group (P = 0.001). Also, the PUQE-24 score was significantly lower in the syrup group, compared to the control group on days 7 and 14 (P = 0.02). The visual analog scale scores also showed a greater reduction in the syrup group, compared to the control group (4.7 ± 2.8 vs. 1.6 ± 3; P = 0.001). No significant difference was observed between the groups regarding the duration of nausea, frequency of vomiting, and frequency of retching; also, no complications were reported. Conclusions The effectiveness of pomegranate and spearmint syrup in reducing NVP was confirmed in the syrup group versus the control group with significant differences.