Effect of Trigonellafoenum-graecum Seed-Containing Herbal Tea Consumed by Mothers on Growth Parameters of Breastfed Baby Girls

Background and Trigonellafoenum-graecum seed has galactogogues properties due to phytoestrogens structure and can increase the volume of breast milk. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of herbal tea containing Trigonellafoenum-graecum seed consumed by mothers on growth parameters of baby girls (0-4 months of age) attending health centers in south of Tehran, 2014. This clinical trial study was performed in 78 mothers breast feeding their 0-4 month old baby girls. They were randomly assigned into two groups (n=39 per groups). The intervention group received herbal tea containing 7.5g Trigonellafoenum-graecum seed powder and 3g black tea and the control group received herbal tea containing 3g black tea powder. The mothers used the beverages three times a day for 4 weeks,. The weight, height and head circumference of the babies were measured using baby weight measurement scale, stadiometer and tape measure in the beginning of the study and each week until 4 weeks. Data was analyzed by independent sample t test and repeated measurement test in SPSS. No significant difference was found between the two groups in weight, height and head circumference before the intervention (P>0.05). After four weeks Trigonellafoenum-graecum significantly increased the babies’ weight from 5282.05 ± 1021.51 to 6383.07 ± 952.06 and head circumference from 38.31 ± 1.62 to 39.92 ± 1.50 (P<0.001), but it had no effect on the height of studied girls (P=0.078). The results showed that consumption of Trigonellafoenum-graecum seed-containing herbal tea by mothers could improve the weight and head circumference of breastfed babies. (Clinical Trials Registry Number: IRCT201312102751N10)