TRUTH OR TALE NO. 6

Posted on 31 January 2018

Spicy food can induce labour.

ANSWER: Tale

Of the numerous studies done to validate this claim, none have been able to prove that spicy food can induce labour, or have any effect on when it begins.

This and other beliefs around labour-inducing foods have more than likely been formulated due to coincidence, and perpetuated through the fact that pregnant women who are already due are looking for ways to encourage labour.

Some hold the view that spicy food can stimulate the digestive system and therefore lead to contractions. Alternatively, there is a theory that the ingestion of spicy food can encourage the body to produce a hormone, prostaglandin, which can help initiate labour. Though this may sound plausible, the fact is that the mom’s gastrointestinal tract and her uterus are not connected.

Sources: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4210668/

https://www.webmd.com/baby/inducing-labor-naturally-can-it-be-done – 1