title: Which potential harms and benefits of using ginger in the management of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy should be addressed? a consensual study among pregnant women and gynecologists.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) affect approximately 80-90% of the pregnant women. Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is the most widely used herbal therapy in the management of NVP. Like conventional therapies, herbal therapies have potential harms and benefits that patients need to be informed about in order to develop their therapy preferences. The aim of this study was to achieve consensus among women who suffered NVP and physicians often consulted by pregnant women on a core list of potential harms and benefits of using ginger to manage NVP to be addressed during clinical consultations.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, the Delphi technique was used to achieve consensus on a core list of important harms and benefits of using ginger in the management of NVP to be addressed during the clinical consultation. A Delphi process was followed in two panels in parallel sessions. One panel was composed of 50 gynecologists and other physicians who are often consulted by pregnant women suffering NVP and the other panel was composed of 50 women who suffered NVP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consensus was achieved on 21 (75%) of the 28 potential harms presented to the panelists. Panelists agreed that potential harms of the anticoagulant effects of ginger, risk with other co-morbidities, and risk of potential allergic reactions are important to address during the clinical consultation. Of the 14 potential benefits presented to the panelists in both panels, consensus was achieved on 13 (92.9%). Partial consensus on 7 potential harms and 1 potential benefit was achieved in both panels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Addressing important potential harms and benefits of using ginger for the management of NVP during the clinical consultations is important in promoting congruence and reducing patient dissatisfaction in clinical practice. Consensus was achieved on a core list of important harms and benefits of using ginger for the management of NVP to be addressed during the clinical consultations by a panel of women and a panel of physicians. Further studies are still needed to investigate what is being addressed during clinical consultations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, New Campus, Building: 19, Office: 1340, P.O. Box 7, Nablus, Palestine. ramzi_shawahna@hotmail.com.|An-Najah BioSciences Unit, Centre for Poisons Control, Chemical and Biological Analyses, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine. ramzi_shawahna@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ramzi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shawahna
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
authors.forename: Assim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003697:Delphi Technique; D005260:Female; D020939:Zingiber officinale / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry*; D006176:Gynecology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014839:Vomiting / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000078329:Workforce; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Ginger; Gynecologists; Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy; Pregnant women