Are There Foods that Induce labor?
Women searching for foods that induce labor will turn to other mothers who swear it was that extra-spicy entree from their favorite Mexican restaurant that brought them face to face with their new baby. But with a full stomach during labor, you might just see that entree in a very unappetizing light.
Unfortunately, the statistics are out on this one - there is simply not enough research to support that any foods are effective in inducing labor.
Anecdotally, women have sworn the following are foods that will induce labor:
- Pineapple
- Spicy Foods
- Chinese Food
- Eggplant Parmesan
- Licorice
The most well-known of these would have to be spicy foods, like hot peppers or any other spicy Mexican dish. What the research is now showing is that these foods may be something to avoid prior to labor.
This is due to the fact that certain spicy foods release capsasins, which may be counterproductive in labor. When the baby descends down the birth path, the pressure exerted releases endorphins into the woman's body. These endorphins are a natural pain-killer. In effect, the capsasins counteract the endorphins and rob the mother of her natural ability to have a pain-free birth.
The eggplant parmesan was also in vogue for a time. While this dish may have been contributing to labor, it is probably not due to the eggplant but rather to the seasonings in the dish. Both basil and oregano are herbs contraindicated in pregnancy due to their potential ability to start labor.
Pineapple is not supposed to induce labor, but rather is thought to be a cervical ripening agent that stimulates prostaglandins, although this has not been proven.
Licorice, real licorice candy, the black kind, is thought to also stimulate the production of prostaglandins. This is due to the chemical, glycyrrhizin. Eating lots of licorice might also result in mild diarrhea, which causes intestinal contractions that may lead to sympathetic uterine contractions. This type of licorice can also be found in tablet form. Again, no definitive research suggests that licorice can induce labor.
When looking for foods that induce labor, only consume them if they are something you normally select. There's just not enough evidence to say they work for certain, and in which cases they may cause more harm than help, so the choice is yours.
References
Harman & Kim. "Current Trends in Cervical Ripening and Labor Induction" American Family Physician 1999; 60:477-84.
Roberts, Tracy, Peat, 2000 Rates for obstetric intervention among private and public patients in Australia: population based descriptive study Christine L Roberts, Sally Tracy, Brian Peat, "British Medical Journal", v321:140 July 2000.
Giving Birth Naturally: Natural Ways to Induce Labor: Foods that Induce Labor
