The gentlebirth.org website is provided courtesy of
Ronnie Falcao, LM MS, a homebirth midwife in Mountain View, CA

Ginger Root In Pregnancy

Ginger: Your Best Travel Companion (from Natural Health Shopper - Oct. 1996)

Recent studies have proven that ginger is more effective at relieving the nausea associated with motion sickness than Dramamine, a drug commonly prescribed for that malady. Ginger is a well-known herbal remedy for nausea, which appears to work by relaxing and soothing the intestinal tract. For best results, take 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of powdered ginger with a glass of water, or 3 capsules of powdered ginger, 20 minutes before you depart on your journey or at the first sign of motion sickness.

Researchers have found that ginger also inhibit platelet aggregation, which means it prevents the blood from sludging, one of the factors that give rise to heart attacks and strokes. Ginger may also lower blood cholesterol levels. It is nontoxic and safe to take in large doses.

Ginger is a root that one can purchase at super markets. It is a conglomeration of tubers, each about one to three cm in diameter.

The ginger served with sushi is the same root but it is marinated and the true ginger taste is modified by the marination.

I use lots of ginger is my cooking and my food NEVER makes me sick.

A convenient way to always have "fresh" ginger around is to peel the root and mix thoroughly in a food processor with an equal quantity of crushed garlic (comes in jars). Place it in a screw cap bottle and keep in the refrigerator. If a recipe calls for garlic or ginger use double quantity of the above mixture.

To make ginger tea use a teaspoonful of ginger powder in a cup of boiling water and sweeten with honey. As a child this was given to me with lemon juice for colds etc. The taste is great and the colds always got better - eventually!

If you wish to make tea from the fresh root use two teaspoonfuls of grated fresh root and allow to stand in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. I don't recommend the garlic mixture for making tea unless, of course, you don't want company!

Ginger root capsules (dried ginger just like one would use for cooking) can be purchased in any health food store. They are good not only for morning sickness, but also motion sickness. I think there was actually a RCT showing that ginger root worked better than Dramamine for motion sickness (would be willing to search for that reference if anyone wanted)

I can only speak from personal experience, but I found it very helpful through my first 2 pregnancies and in this present one as well. I grate fresh ginger root into a pot of water, simmer for 20-30 minutes, strain into a mug, sweeten with honey, and enjoy! The ginger also helps with nasal congestion.

The RCT on ginger treatment of hyperemesis is Fischer-Rasmussen W, Kjaer SK, Dahl C, Asping U. Ginger treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum. Eur J Obstet Gynaecol Reprod Bio 1990. 38: 19-24

It is cited in the systematic review of the subject in The Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth database (CCPC)

Jewell MD. Ginger treatment for hyperemesis gravidarum. [ revised 30 April 1993] In: Keirse MJNC, Renfrew MJ, Neilson JP, Crowther C (eds.) Pregnancy and Childbirth Module. In: The Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Database [database on disk and CDROM]. The Cochrane Collaboration; Issue 2, Oxford: Update Software; 1995. Available from BMJ Publishing Group, London.