The Sweet Science Behind Dates in Pregnancy

Patients who are pregnant may be coming to you with questions about dates – the fruit that’s been getting some attention for potential benefits during pregnancy and labor. Here’s what you can tell them.

The date palm is a tree that produces a sweet, edible fruit with a history of use for various health concerns. Recently, patients who are pregnant have become interested in dates as a way to possibly shorten the labor process.

While research is limited, here is what we know so far. Consuming date palm fruit during labor reduces the duration of the active phase of labor and improves cervical readiness. However, it doesn’t seem to reduce overall labor duration or the need for a cesarean section.

Interestingly, eating date palm fruit might help reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia. In one clinical study in patients who are pregnant with at least one pre-eclampsia risk, eating seven Ajwa date palm fruits daily for 8 weeks reduced mean arterial pressure by 13% compared with an increase of 8% in patients not eating date palm fruit.

Regarding safety, caution your patients that while date palm fruits are generally considered safe in food amounts, information about higher consumption during pregnancy is lacking and should be avoided. And although no interactions have been identified with date palm fruit consumption, it’s always wise to advise patients to discuss any dietary changes with you first.

Want to explore date palm’s potential benefits beyond pregnancy? Check out our comprehensive date palm monograph for more evidence-based information.