Study on Zengru Gao and Breastfeeding
Introduction
A recent study explored the effectiveness of the Chinese herbal medicine Zengru Gao in promoting breastfeeding during the first week after childbirth. Breastfeeding provides significant health benefits for both newborns and mothers. However, some mothers encounter postpartum hypogalactia, which hinders their ability to produce milk. While pharmacological treatments known as galactagogues can enhance milk production, they may come with side effects. Herbal galactagogues like Zengru Gao could present similar advantages with potentially fewer risks. Despite existing evidence supporting herbal galactagogues, further research is essential to validate these findings.
Study Design
Researchers executed a multicenter randomized controlled trial to determine whether Zengru Gao, which consists of eight herbs, could increase the proportion of mothers fully or partially breastfeeding within the week following childbirth. Additionally, they evaluated the daily formula intake of infants and any adverse events linked to the treatment. The study took place from October 2013 to July 2014 and was published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Participants
The study involved 588 Chinese mothers who expressed intent to breastfeed upon their admission to the postpartum ward across six hospitals. Participants were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group. The treatment group received 30 grams of Zengru Gao daily, administered three times a day, while the control group received no treatment. Follow-ups occurred in hospitals or via telephone on days one, three, and seven after delivery.
Results
Of the 294 participants in each group, 256 from the treatment group and 271 from the control group completed the study. On the first day, there were no significant differences in breastfeeding rates between the two groups. However, by days three and seven, a notable increase in full or partial breastfeeding was observed among mothers in the Zengru Gao group compared to the control group. At days one and three, there were no significant differences in formula intake, but by day seven, the treatment group showed significantly lower formula consumption.
Adverse Events
Fifteen mothers or newborns in the Zengru Gao group reported mild adverse events, including one mother who experienced a cough and discontinued treatment after three days. The control group did not undergo any adverse event assessments.
Study Limitations
Several limitations of this study should be acknowledged. It was not designed as a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, and the authors did not clarify how they quantified their findings, relying solely on mothers to report adverse events, which may lack accuracy. Safety parameters were not measured, and while the authors claimed no competing interests, two were linked to Guangzhou Hipower Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Conclusion
The authors conclude that Zengru Gao appears to be a safe and effective herbal galactagogue that supports breastfeeding in the critical first week after birth. However, further research utilizing double-blind, placebo-controlled designs and larger sample sizes is required to eliminate the possibility of a placebo effect and to assess adverse events comprehensively. Additional studies should also investigate the mechanisms by which herbal galactagogues enhance breast milk production.
Reference
Wang, Shuaishuai, Chi Zhang, Cuishan Li, Daocheng Li, Ping He, Zhaojuan Su, Yanling Li, Yiling Ding, and Aiping Lu. “Efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine Zengru Gao to promote breastfeeding: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.” BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 18, no. 1 (2018): 53.