Ottawa nutritional guide intervention for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial protocol

Nausea and vomiting are frequent complaints during pregnancy, which can be accompanied by marital discord and sexual dissatisfaction, in addition to the hospitalization of pregnant women. Given the potential side effects of pharmaceutical treatments on both the mother and fetus, many women prefer non-pharmacological interventions. This study will assess the impact of an educational program based on the Ottawa Nutritional Guide on symptoms in pregnant women and explore sexual satisfaction as a secondary outcome.

In this randomized controlled clinical trial, a total of 60 pregnant women aged between 15 and 45 years, who scored 3-16 on the Rhodes Index of Nausea, Vomiting and Retching (RINVR), will be selected via convenience sampling. They will be then divided into two intervention and control groups through block randomization. Data will be collected using a demographic and obstetric checklist, the RINVR, and the Hudson's Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS). The intervention group will be received training on the Ottawa Nutritional Guide in two 60-min sessions, conducted in groups of two to five people. The control group, on the other hand, received routine care. The collected data will be analyzed using SPSS Version 22.

Several studies have reported the effectiveness of the Ottawa Nutritional Guide in managing nausea and vomiting in pregnant women, as well as its positive impact on their quality of life and marital satisfaction. However, further research is required to validate these findings before considering it as a potential alternative to pharmaceutical methods during pregnancy.

This study was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20180218038783N5, registered 03/09/2023).