Stress reduction is an important aspect of care for pregnant women in order to decrease obstetric complications and childrens health problems after birth.1 Aromatherapy represents a natural way of healing a persons mind, body and soul. Aromatherapy is an intervention that can be used to relieve ailments like depression, indigestion, headache, insomnia, muscular pain, respiratory problems, skin ailments, swollen joints, urine associated complications etc.2

A study assessed the physical and psychologic effects of inhalation aromatherapy on pregnant women. Pregnant women in week 28 of a single pregnancy with a normal course were recruited in this prospective, randomized, controlled trial and were randomized into an aromatherapy group and a control group. On the basis of intragroup comparison, there were significant differences in the Tension-Anxiety score and the Anger-Hostility score (p<0.05), and the respective improvements observed were due to aromatherapy. Additionally, based on an intragroup comparison within the aromatherapy group, parasympathetic nerve activity was found to increase significantly. Therefore, aromatherapy inhalation using essential oils appeared to be effective for Profile of Mood States (POMS) and parasympathetic nerve activity, based on an intragroup comparison.1

Lavender essential oil is often used as a complementary medicine and has been traditionally known to have sedative, carminative, anti-depressive and anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects.3 Lavender oil is often applied undiluted to the skin. It has calming properties and its odor has been shown to reduce anxiety.4

A study assessed the effects of aromatherapy massage on womens stress and immune function during pregnancy. In all, 24 healthy pregnant women were randomized to the intervention group while 28 were randomized to the control group. Women in the intervention group received 70 min of aromatherapy massage with lavender essential oil every other week (10 times in total) for 20 weeks while the control group received routine prenatal care. Women in the intervention group had lower salivary cortisol and higher immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels immediately after aromatherapy massage as compared to those in the control group. The pretest salivary IgA levels at 32 and 36 weeks gestational age (GA) were significantly higher than the pretest IgA at 16 weeks GA (baseline). Lavender aromatherapy massage was thus shown to significantly decrease stress and improve immune function in pregnant women.5

Inhalation of mixed perfumes of lavender and peppermint oils has been found to minimize the severity of nausea episodes, improve energy level and reduce the sensation of fatigability in early pregnancy. Nausea and vomiting episodes were shown to decrease at third day essential oils inhalation compared with baseline assessment among pregnant women. Additionally, women felt energetic following essential oils inhalation. Mood scores ranged between mild to moderate energy.6

A study assessed the effect of lavender aromatherapy on pain intensity perception and intrapartum outcome in primiparous women. Overall, 160 participants were divided into two groups - aromatherapy group received 0.1 ml of lavender essential oil mixed with 1 ml of distilled water by means of tissues attached to their gowns close to their nostrils, and the control group received 2 ml of distilled water in a similar way. The mean of pain intensity perception was found to be lower in the aromatherapy group as compared to the control group at 30 and 60 minutes after the intervention.7 Lavender aromatherapy in association with classical music therapy has been shown to reduce blood pressure in pregnant women with hypertension.8

Therefore, lavender aromatherapy has been found to have varied beneficial effects when used in women during pregnancy.

References

1. Igarashi T. Physical and Psychologic Effects of Aromatherapy Inhalation on Pregnant Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2013;19(10).
2. Ali B, Al-Wabel NA, Shams S, et al. Essential oils used in aromatherapy: A systemic review. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 2015;5,(8):601-611.
3. Cavanagh HMA, Wilkinson JM. Lavender essential oil: a review. Australian Infection Control 2005;10(1):35-37.
4. Koulivand PH, Ghadiri MK, Gorji A. Lavender and the Nervous System. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013; 2013: 681304.
5. Chen PJ, Chou CC, Yang L, et al. Effects of Aromatherapy Massage on Pregnant Womens Stress and Immune Function: A Longitudinal, Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2017 Oct;23(10):778-786.
6. Ghani RMA, Ibrahim ATA. The Effect of Aromatherapy Inhalation on Nausea and Vomiting in Early Pregnancy: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Natural Sciences Research 2013;3(5):192-205.
7. Kaviani M, Azima S, Alavi N, Tabaei MH. The effect of lavender aromatherapy on pain perception and intrapartum outcome in primiparous women. British Journal of Midwifery 2014;22(2).
8. Maisi S, Suryono, Widyawati MN, et al. Effectiveness of lavender aromatherapy and classical music therapy in lowering blood pressure in pregnant women with hypertension. Belitung Nursing Journal 2017;3(6):750-756.