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/
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