Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy are common and bothersome complaints of early pregnancy. Use of currently available medications is restricted due to potential teratogenic effect during embryogenisis So alternative natural therapies e.g. Ginger are preferred.

Objective:  Present study was to compare the safety, effectiveness of ginger versus combination of doxylamine plus pyridoxine in treating nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.

Methods: 250 women having nausea and vomiting of pregnancy up to 12 weeks gestation, fulfilling inclusion criteria were included & divided into 3 groups. (1) Ginger gp 100 women (II) Doxylamine plus Pyridoxine gp 100 women (III) Control 50 women. Each group was further classified into mild, moderate and severe, using the Rhodes Index of Nausea, Vomiting and retching (RINVR). Group I was given half teaspoon of liquid extract of fresh ginger (equivalent to 500mg standardized extract, twice daily for 4 days/ week.  Group II was given 2 tablets of Doxylamine (10mg) + pyridoxine (10mg) at bed time. If needed, one tablet was added in the morning and another in the afternoon.  Severity of NVP was evaluated 24 hrs before and upto 4 days after treatment by Rhodes Index. (1) Ginger is more effective as compared to control group. P values in mild, moderate and severe gp of nausea were 0.01(S),<0.001(HS), <0.038(S) and vomiting <0.0001(HS), ,<0.0001(HS) and 0.008(S) respectively. Group II is more effective than control. P values in mild, moderate, and severe gp of nausea were 0.02(S), <0.001(HS),<0.039(S) and vomiting <0.0001(HS),<0.0001(HS), 0.015(S) respectively. Ginger is more effective and safe as compared to Control and comparable to Doxylamine plus Pyridoxine..

Keywords:  Ginger, NVP, Placebo, Doxylamine, VitaminB6.

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Balwinder Kaur

Associate Professor, Dept of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Govt. Medical College, Patiala, Punjab, India

360 North Avenue, Bhadson Road Patiala Punjab India, 147001

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