A NARRATIVE REVIEW ON THE EFFECTS OF DATE FRUIT (PHOENIX DACTYLIFERA) CONSUMPTION DURING LATE PREGNANCY ON CERVICAL RIPENING, LABOUR INDUCTION AND LABOUR DURATION

Introduction: Promoting natural labour with less medical interventions is one of main goals in modern obstetrics. Natural methods have gained more attention in recent years due to their potential to enhance cervical readiness, decrease the need for labour augmentation and shorten labour duration. Objective: This review aims to investigate the current clinical evidence on the effects of date fruits consumption during late pregnancy on childbirth stages and postpartum complications, particularly concentrating on cervical dilation upon hospital admission, frequency of spontaneous labour onset, and duration of different labour phases. Material and methods: A narrative review of 6 different randomized controlled trials and cohort studies investigating the impact of daily date intake in late-stage pregnancy on labour-related outcomes was conducted. Data that were extracted included cervical dilatation at hospital admission, frequency of spontaneous labour, need for oxytocin augmentation, and duration of all labour’s phases. Results: It was found that consumption of around 6–7 dates per day for 2-4 weeks before the estimated delivery date leads to increased cervical dilatation upon hospital admission, higher rates of spontaneous labour onset, shorter duration of all stages of labour (especially the latent and active phases of the first stage of delivery), and reduced need for oxytocin augmentation. Conclusions: Date fruit consumption appears to be a safe, easily accessible and natural intervention that may positively influence the initiation and progression of labour. However, large, well-designed trials in more diverse populations need to be conducted to further confirm these findings and to establish evidence-based guidelines.