Moms Are Told That Certain Foods Induce Labor, but Is Any of It Actually True?
Food and pregnancy go together like pickles and ice cream, so it stands to reason that as you’re nearing the end of your pregnancy, you might turn to food to induce labor — especially because many moms claim that the last thing they ate before giving birth was the thing that kickstarted contractions.
“I was two days shy of my due date and my older sister, who already had three children of her own, wanted to help speed things up, so she stopped by with a small container of Chinese food — I believe it was sesame chicken and pork fried rice," says Annamaria W. from Manorville, New York. "She'd heard that it may help get things started. That night I went into labor, and the next morning, I delivered my daughter one day early!"
Jennifer Guido, from Ramsey, New Jersey, swears it was the eggplant parmesan from Lotito’s Deli & Bakery in Ramsey that got her labor going. “When I was pregnant with my son, I went into labor a few days early — the night after having it for lunch,” she explains. “When I was pregnant with my daughter, I was days late. I’m a very science-minded person, but I was feeling desperate and willing to try anything! I read online that some restaurants claim to have labor-inducing eggplant parm. Then I remembered that I had it just before labor with my first, so I got some, ate it, went into labor that night, too!" Eggplant parm isn't the only dish that restaurants claim will do the trick: California's Caioti Pizza Cafe, for example, has a "Maternity Salad" on its menu that's a local legend for moms-to-be.
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But does any of this really work? Sorry, moms-to-be: Adam Huggins, M.D., associate professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, says, “There is no empirical evidence that different foods can induce labor. However, there are lots of anecdotal stories of patients that went into labor after having a particular food or drink.”
And just like those above, we’ve heard the stories: Whether it’s a spicy meal or certain ingredients, like papaya, we can all likely name someone who swears that it helped kick-off their labor. “I think it’s only natural that women want to use something that they have some control over, whether it’s the food they eat or an herb that they take, to help give them control over this normal part of their pregnancy,” says Anna Graseck, M.D., assistant professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia.
There's no research that shows that eggplant, papaya, or spicy foods induce labor.
If you scour the message boards, and you'll find a list of foods that supposedly get things going: spicy food, papaya, dates, pineapple, eggplant, etc — But have there been any actual studies?
There’s been some research on dates, Dr. Graseck says. A small study out of Jordan found that women who ate six dates a day in the month leading up to their due date went into labor on their own more often, and were more dilated once they were admitted for delivery. In their abstract, researchers concluded, “the consumption of date fruit in the last 4 weeks before labour significantly reduced the need for induction and augmentation of labour." But before you start stockpiling dates, the researchers also admitted that more studies were needed — and that was back in 2011, so even those preliminary results might be out-of-date by now. Dr. Graseck notes that eating six dates a day isn’t exactly easy, either. “You can certainly try it, but it may not be very appealing,” she says.
When it comes to pineapple, Neetu Sodhi, D.O., M.P.H., an OB/GYN with Providence Tarzana Medical Center in Tarzana, California, says that an enzyme in the core —“known to be a good meat tenderizer” — is thought to make the cervix soften, but “that doesn’t happen.” Another choice? Papaya. “The enzyme papain in papaya is thought to release prostaglandins and oxytocin — actual compounds that induce labor — but that also doesn't happen.”
In general, she says, with many of these commonly recommended tricks, like spicy food, it’s really the stomach upset that’s at the heart of it more than any specific enzyme or compound. "Sometimes with GI upset, you’ll get activation of uterine cramping and/or contractions,” she says. "But those don’t lead to labor unless your body was already ready for labor.”
Doctors say you can really, really skip the castor oil.
With most of these foods, even if there's no science to back them up, there's no harm in giving them a shot, particularly if you’re past the 39-week mark and not high risk. "Patients in general are welcome to try them,” Dr. Huggins says, “but we can't say for sure it will be successful.”
But there's another commonly referenced ingredient that doctors say to steer clear of: castor oil. “We would not recommend castor oil,” Dr. Huggins says. “While it's safe, it has not been proven to lead to the starting of labor. More importantly, the significant cramping and diarrhea it can cause can be very uncomfortable.” The diarrhea can also cause dehydration.
Both Dr. Graseck and Dr. Sodhi also caution against using certain herbs, like blue or black cohosh, which may be unsafe. Also, it’s smart to stick to the same food safety guidelines you’ve been employing throughout your pregnancy to avoid those that might cause food-borne illness. And don’t try any labor-inducing techniques unless you’ve reached 39 weeks, if you’re having a high-risk pregnancy, or have had a past C-section, experts say.
“In general, if a woman has a specific food or drink she'd like to try, it’s always best to discuss with her provider first,” Dr. Huggins recommends. “While most of these products are perfectly safe in pregnancy, consultation with a provider is always recommended.” Your OB or midwife knows you and your pregnancy well, he says, and can offer up choices for you specifically.
But the bottom line? Take all the waiting for labor as a good parenting lesson on how we only have so much control over our children, Dr. Graseck advises. “When your body and your baby are ready, that’s when you’re going to go into labor,” she says.
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