No reliable cure for morning sickness, finds study

LONDON - Morning sickness is beyond the pale of any cure, researchers concluded after reviewing studies of remedies commonly used by pregnant women.

Nearly half the pregnant women suffer a degree of nausea and vomiting, especially during the first three months.

Women often try home remedies, alternative therapies or resort to medicines to ease the sickness, reports the Telegraph.

However a review of 27 studies involving more than 4,000 pregnant women failed to find any reliable and safe treatment.

The review, published by the journal Cochrane Library, examined studies on commonly used treatments, including ginger, acupuncture, antihistamines and anti-vomiting drugs.

In six studies of acupressure - using fingers to apply pressure to various key points in the body - and two of acupuncture there were no significant differences in those using the techniques and those using shame ones.

One study of acustimulation - using a mild electric current on acupuncture points - did however, find some improvement over three weeks.

The reviewers said there was “limited evidence” of an effect of ginger in relieving nausea, as there was for vitamin B6, antihistamines and anti-vomiting drugs including the antenatal drug Debendox.

Ginger caused heartburn in some people, they added and anti-vomiting drugs caused drowsiness in some.

Lead researcher Anne Matthews of the School of Nursing at Dublin City University in Dublin, Ireland, said: “A number of the studies we looked at appeared to show benefits, but in general the results were inconsistent and it was difficult to draw firm conclusions about any one treatment in particular.”