Journal of Clinical Care and Skills

Aims: Breastfeeding is an economic and valuable method to protect infant health during the life and provides unique biological and emotional effect for mothers and infants. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of fennel on maternal serum prolactin level and neonatal weight gain to effect of domperidon and placebo on these variables.
Materials & Methods: In this single blind randomized clinical trial (RCT), 150 volunteer mothers who had delivery and their newborns in Imam Sajad Hospital of Yasuj University of Medical Science, Yasuj, Iran in 2018, were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly assigned into three equal groups: placebo, domperidone, and fennel groups. Participants used placebo, domperidone tablets and fennel seeds powder for 14 days. Serum prolactin levels of mothers were measured with ELISA method before and after interventions. The weight of newborns were measured using digital scales on birth day, 14^th and 28^th days of study. Data were analyzed by SPSS 21 software using Chi square test, paired t-test, and one-way ANOVA.
Findings: The mean serum prolactin level of the mothers before and after intervention in all three groups were not significantly different (p>0.05). The mean weight of neonates on the birth day, 14^th day and 28^th day in three groups did not show any significant difference (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Fennel and domperidone have no effect on the serum prolactin level of lactating mothers and weight gain of newborns.