Volume 20, Issue 5, October 2012, Pages 263–266
The effect of olive oil on prevention of striae gravidarum: A randomized controlled clinical trial
Summary
Objectives
Striae
gravidarum (SG) is one of the cutaneous physiological changes during
pregnancy with a high prevalence. This study aimed to evaluate the
effect of olive oil in prevention of SG.
Design
Randomized controlled clinical trial.
Setting
Health care centers and three Hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
Participants
100 nulliparous pregnant women.
Interventions
Fifty
women were randomly allocated to each study group. The treatment group
received 1 cc topical olive oil twice a day to apply on the abdominal
skin in a gentle manner without massaging it until the delivery. Control
group did not receive any cream or oil during the study.
Main outcome measures
Development of SG and its severity was recorded at the end of the study.
Results
Although
the frequency of severe SG was lower in the users of olive oil compared
to the other group, no statistically significant difference was found
between the two experimental groups and the control group in the
incidence and the severity of SG.
Conclusion
Olive
oil reduces the incidence of severe SG and increases the incidence of
mild SG, but it does not significantly reduce the incidence and the
severity of SG and it could not be recommended for SG prevention.
Keywords
- Striae gravidarum;
- Prevention of striae gravidarum;
- Olive oil
