Effectiveness of ginger supplementation in alleviating hyperemesis gravidarum: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Nausea and vomiting affect 50-80% of pregnant women, with a subset developing hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a severe condition leading to weight loss and malnutrition. Given that over 28% of pregnant women globally seek herbal alternatives due to concerns about the safety of prescription medications, ginger has emerged as a popular remedy for such symptoms. This meta-analysis systematically evaluates the efficacy of ginger supplementation in managing HG based on clinical studies. Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and ResearchGate. Ten high-quality randomized controlled trials and comparative studies were included from a pool of 32 identified papers, based on strict eligibility criteria. These trials examined various forms of ginger supplementation (capsules, powders, biscuits) and compared them to controls such as placebos, vitamin B6, and metoclopramide. A pooled odds ratio of 0.41 (95% CI: 0.22-0.79, P = 0.008) indicated a significant reduction in nausea and vomiting symptoms. Ginger supplementation was well-tolerated with minimal side effects and no significant harm to maternal or fetal health. This analysis supports the inclusion of ginger as a safe, flexible, and effective non-pharmacologic treatment for HG symptoms in clinical practice.