PYRIDOXINE FOR NAUSEA AND VOMITING OF PREGNANCY - A RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the effectiveness of pyridoxine for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: During an 11-month period 342 women who first attended Chiang Mai University Hospital antenatal clinic at less than or equal to 17 weeks' gestation were randomized to receive either oral pyridoxine hydrochloride, 30 mg per day, or placebo in a double-blind fashion. Patients graded the severity of their nausea by a visual analog scale and recorded the number of vomiting episodes over the previous 24 hours before treatment and again during 5 consecutive days on treatment. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in the mean of posttherapy minus baseline nausea scores in the pyridoxine compared with that in the placebo group (t test, p = 0.0008). There was also a greater reduction in the mean number of vomiting episodes, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.0552). CONCLUSION: Pyridoxine is effective in relieving the severity of nausea in early pregnancy.