Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41995499›Full record

ArticleMedicine2026

The impact of pineapple consumption on cervical ripening and labor outcomes: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study among pregnant women in Nigeria.

Chukwuka Elendu, Dependable C Amaechi, Tochi C Elendu, Emmanuel C Amaechi, Ijeoma D Elendu, Joy Onomon, Egbunu Emmanuel, Peace Mordi, Chinonso B Okoro

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Article in Medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Chukwuka ElenduDepartment of Medicine, Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri, Nigeria.ORCID 0000-0002-0249-1865
Dependable C AmaechiDepartment of Medicine, Igbinedion University, Okada, Nigeria.
Tochi C ElenduDepartment of Medicine, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria.
Emmanuel C AmaechiDepartment of Medicine, Madonna University, Elele, Nigeria.
Ijeoma D ElenduDepartment of Medicine, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria.
Joy OnomonDepartment of Medicine, Royal United Hospital, Bath, England.
Egbunu EmmanuelDepartment of Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Bida, Nigeria.
Peace MordiDepartment of Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China.
Chinonso B OkoroDepartment of Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Nigeria.ORCID 0009-0003-7665-0640

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cervical ripening, a vital precursor to labor, involves complex biochemical and structural changes in the cervix. While medical interventions like prostaglandins and oxytocin are commonly used, dietary factors such as pineapple, containing bromelain - a proteolytic enzyme hypothesized to aid cervical tissue remodeling - have gained attention. This study evaluates the impact of pineapple consumption on cervical ripening and labor outcomes among pregnant women in Nigeria. This nationwide retrospective cohort study included pregnant women aged 18 to 45 years who delivered between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2023. Participants were categorized into 2 cohorts: those reporting regular 3rd-trimester pineapple consumption (exposed) and those reporting no consumption (unexposed). Data were collected from medical records and structured questionnaires. A total sample size of 2400 participants (1200 exposed and 1200 unexposed) was included based on predefined power calculations. Primary outcomes included cervical ripening (Bishop score), labor duration, and mode of delivery, while secondary outcomes assessed neonatal health. Statistical analysis employed multivariable regression models to adjust for confounding factors such as maternal age, parity, body mass index, gestational age, and socioeconomic status. Linear regression was used for continuous outcomes and logistic regression for binary outcomes. Analyses were performed using Stata Statistical Software: Release 17 (StataCorp LLC, College Station). In multivariable cohort analyses, pineapple consumption was associated with significantly improved cervical ripening (adjusted mean difference 0.8, 95% CI 0.5-1.1, P < .001). Labor duration was shorter among the exposed group (adjusted mean difference -1.7 hours, 95% CI -2.1 to -1.3, P < .001). Women in the exposed cohort had higher odds of spontaneous vaginal delivery (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.8, 95% CI 1.4-2.3, P < .001), with lower cesarean delivery rates. Neonatal outcomes, including birth weight, Apgar scores, and neonatal intensive care unit admissions, showed no significant differences between groups after adjustment. Dose-response analysis demonstrated that higher pineapple consumption was independently associated with shorter labor duration and increased likelihood of vaginal delivery. Third-trimester pineapple consumption was associated with improved cervical ripening, shorter labor duration, and higher rates of spontaneous vaginal delivery without adverse neonatal outcomes. These findings support further investigation of dietary influences on labor outcomes.

Indexed as

AnanasCervical RipeningLabor, ObstetricAdolescentAdultBromelainsFemaleHumansNigeriaPregnancyPregnancy OutcomeRetrospective StudiesYoung AdultBromelainscervical ripeninglabor outcomesmaternal healthpineapple consumptionretrospective cohort study

Identifiers

PMID41995499
PMCPMC13095295

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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.