Can eating date fruit make labour easier? Here are the facts

Every pregnant woman is concerned about the well-being of her child, and as a result would want to eat only what is safe.

Is it safe to eat dates during pregnancy?

It’s always a good idea to get your doctor’s opinion, but dates are generally thought to be safe.

The sweet fruit with the botanical name Phoenix dactilifera, also called debinu locally in Nigeria is packed with energy and essential nutrients.

Dates have also been found to make labour easier when consumed in late pregnancy.

A study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, which was carried out to investigate the reason for this, found that eating date fruit in the last 4 weeks before labour significantly reduced the need for labour induction and augmentation, and the outcomes were more favourable.

They compared the outcomes for 69 women who ate 6 dates per day, 4 weeks before their due date, against that of 45 women who didn’t.

Their findings showed that indeed, the outcomes were more favourable for women who ate dates.

• The women who ate dates were 3.52cm dilated by the time they got to the hospital for delivery compared to the non-date fruit eaters who were 2.02cm dilated.
•  The women who ate dates had 80% of their membranes intact when compared to non-date fruit eaters who had 60%.
•  96% of the women who ate dates went into labour spontaneously, compared to 79% non-date fruit eaters. Also, the need for oxytocin was significantly lower for the date eaters.
•  The first stage of labour was about 7 hrs shorter for women who ate dates, than their non-date fruit eating counterparts.

Another study published in the Journal of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, which was conducted on 210 women confirmed that cervical dilation was higher in women that ate date fruit, compared to the women that didn’t. They recommended that pregnant women consume dates, especially in the last weeks of pregnancy, as it help with cervical ripening.

So what is it about dates that make them this labour ‘miracle’ they are touted to be?

Studies have found that dates contain compounds that affect the body in a similar way as oxytocin, the hormone which is responsible for contractions. As a result of this, dates can increase the sensitivity of the uterus, stimulate uterine contractions, and reduce postpartum hemorrhage.

Normally, towards the end of pregnancy, the number of oxytocin receptors are elevated, leading to increased uterine sensitivity and contraction stimulation. Adding date fruit to the mix only helps to get things accelerated more easily.

So mom-to-be, now you know you can eat your way to an easier labour, will you be helping yourself to a ‘6 a day’ serving of this wonder fruit in late pregnancy?