Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41342394›Full record

ArticleThe Laryngoscope2026

Alginate Therapy for Gastroesophageal Reflux in Pregnancy: A Scoping Review.

Maya Senthilkumaran, Kaitlyn Hui, Corey Li, Sophia Werden-Abrams, Phillip Staibano, Benjamin van der Woerd

Abstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in The Laryngoscope, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Maya SenthilkumaranFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0009-0006-5412-7869
Kaitlyn HuiMcMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Corey LiFaculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Sophia Werden-AbramsDivision of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Phillip StaibanoDivision of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-9095-9543
Benjamin van der WoerdDivision of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-4189-2733

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveAlginate therapies are a promising option for managing gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), but most treatments are not recommended during pregnancy. This scoping review aimed to summarize the current outcomes research on the use of alginate therapy for treating GERD during pregnancy. DATA SOURCES: EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched from database inception to November 1, 2024. Reference lists of included studies were also searched. REVIEW

methodsWe included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized studies evaluating alginate use in pregnant individuals with GERD. Screening and data extraction were performed by three reviewers in duplicate. Extracted data included study design, location, population, study group allocation, and clinical outcomes. Descriptive statistics were calculated using Microsoft Excel.

resultsTwo RCTs and two prospective cohort studies met the inclusion criteria. Of the two RCTs identified, one evaluated an alginate formulation against a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), and the other against a magnesium-aluminum antacid. Cohort studies reported investigator- and patient-rated treatment success at 89.7% and 90.0%, respectively, with 92.2% of participants having symptom relief within 20 min. Similar improvements in heartburn intensity and frequency were found when comparing alginates and antacids. Few maternal adverse effects were reported, and no fetal or neonatal outcomes were related to treatment. Safety profiles of alginates were comparable to PPIs and antacids.

conclusionCurrent literature on alginate therapy in pregnant women may suggest potential for symptom relief and favorable tolerability, but current evidence is limited by the few available prospective studies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.

Indexed as

AlginatesAntacidsGastroesophageal RefluxPregnancy ComplicationsFemaleHumansPregnancyProton Pump InhibitorsRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeAlginatesAntacidsProton Pump InhibitorsalginatesefficacyGERDpregnancysafety

Identifiers

PMID41342394
PMCPMC12993092

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.