In previous weeks I’ve talked about the use of acupressure at PC-6, and Vitamin B6, for treating nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
Another great option is ginger, which has been shown in clinical trials to decrease the severity of both nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Ginger is considered a “Category A” herb during pregnancy in doses up to 1 gram (dried) per day, meaning that it has a demonstrated safety record in human pregnancy studies. Doses above 1 gram per day have not undergone adequate research, so we cannot say with confidence whether higher doses are safe.
Here are some options for taking ginger during your pregnancy:
- Capsule form: 250mg, four times per day, with a glass of water (this is the most popular format due to its convenience and lack of taste – important when strong smells make you feel nauseous)
- Tea: 1 teabag or 1 tsp of ground ginger steeped for 15 minutes in boiling water
- Ginger ale: sipped as needed (note that it needs to be “real” ginger ale to have a therapeutic effect, not just contain “ginger flavouring”)
- Ginger chews: candied ginger as needed (these are easy to store in your purse, but best not to rely on them too often due to the high sugar content and difficulty in determining how much ginger is in each chew)
I hope you have found this helpful, and do let me know if you have any questions!
If you are hungry for more evidence-based information in your pregnancy, sign up for my free webinar: 7 Pregnancy Myths Debunked – and get the information you need to have a healthy pregnancy and a thriving baby.
And if you are a care-provider looking for evidence-based resources for your pregnant patients, please get in touch with us at support@myhealthypregnancyplan.com.
In health,
Dr Jocelyn Land-Murphy, ND
Terra Life
Disclaimer: The information and content provided is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not professional medical advice, nor is it intended to be a substitute therefore. Please consult the Disclaimer and Terms of Use for full details.
References:
Ensiyeh, J. et al. (2009). Comparing ginger and vitamin B6 for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial. Midwifery, 25(6): 649-653.
Vutyavanich, T. et al. (2001). Ginger for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: randomized, doublemasked, placebo controlled trial. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 97(4), 57-582.