EBB 193 - Evidence on Essential Oils during Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum

In this episode I am joined by Anna Bertone (she/her), MPH, a research consultant at Evidence Based Birth®, to discuss the evidence on aromatherapy and essential oils for use during pregnancy, labor/birth, and postpartum. In this episode, we cover:

• What is aromatherapy, where did it come from, and how does it work?
• What have researchers found on essential oils for nausea and vomiting, stress reduction, and immune function during pregnancy?
• Which essential oils have been found to be effective for reducing labor pain and anxiety, encouraging labor progress, and treating post-Cesarean symptoms?
• What does the research say about aromatherapy for use postpartum, including with post-Cesarean symptoms, perineal trauma, sleep, and depression and anxiety?
• Are there any important safety precautions to be aware of, and what is the bottom line?

This episode was inspired by a peer-reviewed article we published in Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, in a special symposium that was edited by Shilpa Babbar, MD, MS, FACOG. Reference: Bertone, A. C., & Dekker, R. L. (September 2021). "Aromatherapy in Obstetrics: A Critical Review of the Literature." Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology 64(3): 572-588.

Here are some other resources we mentioned:

• Access the EBB Pain Management Video Series here https://evidencebasedbirth.com/category-pain-management-series/
• You can find the abstract of our research paper, as well as a complete list of references used in this podcast can be found on PubMed here https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33927109/

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.