Using almond oil regularly after conceiving a child can escalate the risks of premature birth, researchers say.
Babies born before 37 weeks of gestational age are considered to be premature babies.
A team of researchers from Italy analyzed the risks associated with frequent use of certain herbal supplements during pregnancy and found daily almond oil spreading increasing the risks of baby being born before completing the gestational period.
For the study, the researchers included 700 women, who gave birth in three public hospitals in northern Italy. Of the total participants, about 189 women reported using herbs regularly for almost three months. Almond oil, chamomile and fennel were found to be the most frequently used herbs.
At the end of the study, the investigators found use of herb during pregnancy having a negative impact on both gestation period and birth weight of the newborn. Compared to chamomile and fennel, almond oil was found associated with an increased risk.
Results remained same even after taking into consideration other risk factors of preterm birth like multiple pregnancies, smoking, age and drug intake.
However, according to the researchers, further studies should be conducted to re-confirm the findings.
"The association between daily spreading of almond oil and PTB only raises a hypothesis that requires confirmation in larger trials devoted to this topic. The relatively small sample size did not allow the investigation of other adverse pregnancy outcomes in herb users," the authors wrote.
Findings of the study have been published in the journal Human Reproduction.
The findings come at a time when premature birth remains one of the leading causes of infant death in the country. More than 500,000 babies are born prematurely every year in the country, according to an estimate from CDC.
Premature birth is a concern among parents as babies born prematurely are at higher risks of developing many health problems like intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, breathing or respiratory problems, feeding or digestive problems.
