It was found to be more frequently in the winter months ( 3). The incidence varies greatly with reporting criteria and even with seasons. It often causes irritation and restlessness for pregnant women, especially at nights ( 4). Usually the abdomen is the primary site of involvement, then PG spreads to the chest and distal of extremities ( 3). PG begins in the late second to early late trimester of pregnancy (mean, 31 weeks) in two-third of cases. Pruritus Gravidarum (PG) has extensive clinical presentations but the clearest symptom is skin itching. Some of the skin diseases are known as unique skin disease during pregnancy, such as Cholestasis of Pruritus Gravidarum, PUPPP, Prurigo of Pregnancy, Herpes Gestationis (Pemphigoid gestationis) and Pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy (Impetigo Herpetiformis) ( 2). Hormonal changes during natural pregnancy, may considerably affect the skin. Pregnancy is a special situation for a woman’s body ( 1). More studies with larger sample sizes are required to confidently declare the mentioned results. In accordance with the results of this study, it seems that peppermint oil can be effective in reducing the severity of Pruritus Gravidarum. The severity of the itch in the treated group with peppermint oil in comparison with the placebo group, showed a significant statistical difference (p = 0.003). Statistical methods such as descriptive analysis, independent samples’ t-test, paired samples’ t-test and Chi-square were employed. The severity of the itch was assessed and compared before and after the study by VAS system. A bottle containing 60 mL of peppermint oil 0.5% in sesame oil and identical placebos were provided to be taken twice a day during 2 weeks by the case and control groups, respectively. In this triple-blind clinical trial, 96 randomly selected subjects diagnosed with pruritus gravidarum were studied (47 cases and 49 controls). This study was done to determine the effects of peppermint oil on symptomatic treatment of pruritus in pregnant women attending to Rasoul Akram Hospital in Rasht, 2011. Peppermint is a plant which has been used as a traditional drug in Iran. Most pregnant women avoid using synthetic drugs because of their side effects. It can create unpleasant feeling for these women especially at nights. Generalized pruritus occurs in 1-8% of pregnant women. Itching is one of the most common skin symptoms.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |