The recommended daily maximum intake of the ginger extract is 3-4 grams In pregnancy recommended daily intake is not more than 1 (one) gram. Why in pregnancy daily recommended intake is one-fourth of that of normal daily intake? What might the adverse effects of ginger in pregnancy?
Excess ginger might cause, heartburn, abdominal bloating and belching, which could create much discomfort to a pregnant lady.
1. A moderate amount of data on pregnant women (n =490) indicates no malformative or feto/ neonatal toxicity of ginger root. Animal studies are insufficient with respect to reproductive toxicity (see section 5.3 ‘Preclinical safety data’). Safety during pregnancy and lactation has not been established. In the absence of sufficient data, the use during pregnancy and lactation is not recommended.(https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/draft-community-herbal-monograph-zingiberis-rhizoma_en.pdf).
2. Nausea of pregnancy: powdered rhizome, 500 mg 2-4 times daily [Mills & Bone 2000]; 750 mg-2 g daily in divided doses for 1-5 days [ESCOP 2009]. (https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/draft-assessment-report-zingiberis-rhizoma_en.pdf),
3. Five of the 6 randomised studies in the systematic review by Borelli et al. [2005] specifically evaluated safety in pregnancy and 4 studies (including 1 cross-over trial) investigated ginger-induced adverse effects on pregnancy outcome collected after delivery. There were no differences in the occurrence of spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, term deliveries and caesarean deliveries, neonatal deaths, gestational age, and congenital abnormalities between women exposed to ginger and women exposed to placebo or vitamin B6. Similar results were found when the effect of ginger on pregnancy outcomes was compared with the general population. Adverse effects on pregnancies were observed in 4 studies. These included headache, diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort, drowsiness, reflux and heartburn, however with no significant differences between groups. (https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/draft-assessment-report-zingiberis-rhizoma_en.pdf)
Dear Aldona Adamska-Szewczyk,
Thanks a lot for a vivid discussion on the adverse effects of ginger in pregnancy. I think you have studied many aspects of ginger in pregnancy. Would you please mention the benefits of added ginger in pregnancy?
Dear Harasit Kumar Paul
Taking ginger in large doses is potentially dangerous and can cause as well miscarriage. Some communities use it to induce labor in late pregnancy. Additional concerns are about potential drug-herb interactions as Ginger was reported to attenuate the effects of some antihypertensive or anticoagulant drugs. Ginger is rich in volatile oils and terpenoids, Although, supplements that contain dry ginger contain higher concentrations of the herb compared to using fresh ginger. So, apart from the quantity of ginger, the quality of the ginger is important for the safety aspects in pregnancy. You may benefit from the following links for more information:
https://bmccomplementmedtherapies.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12906-017-1717-0
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5920415/
Dear Harasit Kurmar Paul
I haven't studiedbut I am a happy mother and I was once interested in this topic:). Regards,
I humbly recognize Najat Abdulrazzaq Hasan, Aldona Adamska-Szewczyk for their interest on the topic and excellent insight they have.
High dose can raise the risk of abortion and bleeding for those having bleeding disorders .
Gastrointestinal problems during pregnancy are common. These are due to the effect of progesterone on the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract. (for example, relaxes the esophageal sphincter).
In small doses, ginger has few side effects. High doses of ginger -- more than 5 grams a day -- increases the chances of side effects. Consumption may cause:
Gas
Heartburn
Upset stomach
Mouth irritation
So, during pregnancy, these side effects increase even more....
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