Mothers-to-be are eating Pineapple to induce Labor, can it work?

Eating pineapple to induce labor is commonly mentioned as a natural way to speed up the end result of pregnancy. Here, we find out the truth about using pineapple as a way to induce labor.

There are plenty of urban legends about natural remedies and pregnancy, often including pineapple to induce labor. There are just as many mothers-to-be ready to try these home remedies, but do any of them work?

Pineapple is a fruit that has been used naturally around the world to speed up the outcome of pregnancy, most commonly in areas of India and Bangladesh.

There have been a few limited studies on the impact of using pineapple to induce labor, where it has been tested on pregnant rats and in-vitro human female uterine tissue.

Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain which causes a reaction in some situations. In tests, high concentrations of this enzyme caused contractions which would, in theory, cause the same contractions in pregnant women.

Can a pregnant woman eat pineapple to induce labor?

Popular theories claim the enzyme in pineapple called bromelain is the likely reason why pineapple can cause labor contractions. Fresh pineapples (especially the cores) have the highest concentration of bromelain

There is no conclusive scientific evidence that defines exactly how much pineapple to eat to increase chances of inducing labor.

For this reason, most national health service websites do not recomment that eating pineapple increases the chances of going into labor.

What are the benefits of eating pineapple when pregnant?

Pineapple still has all the same benefits for pregnant women, being high in vitamins, minerals, and other useful micronutrients. There is no harm in enjoying a pineapple at term.

Bromelain in pineapple can help a woman after birth, according to research conducted by the Mother and Infant Research Unit at the University of Leeds, since the enzyme found in pineapple can help reduce inflammation in breastfeeding women.

Can a pregnant woman have pineapple juice, or canned pineapple, to induce labor?

Canned pineapple and pineapple juice typically has way less bromelain in, since it mostly gets filtered out in the canning and juicing processes.

Cutting and juicing your own fresh pineapple will likely retain a lot more of the content of a whole pineapple, yet it’s the core of the fruit that contains the highest concentration of bromelain. The core can be difficult to juice in a domestic blender – so always refer to your blender’s recommendations when figuring out how to juice your pineapple.

So, is pineapple safe to induce labor?

To clarify, there is absolutely no solid scientific evidence that pineapple can induce labor.

So long as there is no pre-existing allergy, then a pregnant woman can expect the same results from eating pineapple as anyone else; great in moderation!

Before taking any steps that might affect the results of you, or your partners’ pregnancy, it is always best to consult with a qualified and informed medical professional.