Articles

Effect bromelain and vitamin C on episiotomy wound healing

ABSTRACT

Objective. The purpose of this clinical trial study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of bromelain and vitamin C in reducing pain and improving episiotomy wound healing in primiparous women.
Materials and Methods. In this clinical trial, 140 primiparous pregnant women were randomly divided into four groups: bromelain 500 mg three times a day, bromelain combined with oral vitamin C 1000 mg, vitamin C alone, or placebo. The first dose of the drug was administered 2 hours after delivery. The improvement of the wound was measured using the REEDA scale on days 3, 7, and 14 after delivery. Pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at 2 hours postpartum, within the first 24 hours after delivery, and 1 hour after drug administration within the first 24 hours after delivery.
Results. By the end of the study, 32 patients were available in the bromelain group, 33 in the bromelain and vitamin C group, 32 in the vitamin C group, and 31 in the placebo group. All four study groups showed no significant differences in demographic and obstetric characteristics. The highest degree of wound improvement was observed in individuals receiving bromelain and vitamin C, with a mean wound healing score of 0.7 ± 0.6, followed by bromelain alone (1.3 ± 0.6), vitamin C alone (1.5 ± 0.8), and placebo (1.9 ± 0.8) (P < 0.001). Conversely, the lowest pain levels were reported in the same order: bromelain recipients (mean VAS score: 2.0 ± 0.5), bromelain and vitamin C recipients (2.0 ± 0.6), vitamin C recipients (2.3 ± 0.4), and placebo recipients (2.6 ± 0.5) (P < 0.001).
Conclusions. In primiparous women, the combination of bromelain and vitamin C effectively improves episiotomy wound healing and reduces pain.

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