The Effect of Lemon Aromatherapy on Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Introduction

Women who are pregnant frequently suffer from nausea and vomiting, which can profoundly impact their well-being and quality of life. As a promising complementary approach, lemon aromatherapy has attracted attention for its potential to relieve these symptoms. This systematic review examines the efficacy of lemon essential oil aromatherapy in reducing nausea and vomiting among pregnant individuals.

Methods

PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar were systematically searched. Eligible studies were selected, and relevant data were then extracted. Methodological quality was also assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool.

Results

Five studies were finally included, with overall methodological quality ranging from low to moderate. Most studies reported significant reductions in the severity and frequency of nausea and vomiting, commonly measured using the Pregnancy-Unique Quantification of Emesis scale.

Discussion

Lemon aromatherapy may be an effective and safe complementary therapy in reducing nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. However, current evidence is limited by small sample sizes, potential bias, and methodological weaknesses. Further high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to establish evidence-based clinical recommendations.