Prevention of striae gravidarum with cocoa butter cream. [Effectiveness of Alphastria cream in the prevention of pregnancy stretch marks (striae distensae). Results of a double-blind study]. Effects of olive oil on striae gravidarum in the second trimester of pregnancy. Cocoa butter lotion for prevention of striae gravidarum: a double-blind, randomised and placebo-controlled trial. [Attempt of preventive treatment of striae gravidarum using preventive massage ointment administration].
To determine whether cocoa butter cream is effective in preventing striae gravidarum.
                This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 300 pregnant women: 150 women received cocoa butter cream and 150 women received a placebo cream. The women were followed-up from 16 weeks of pregnancy to delivery to assess the development of striae gravidarum. Maternal height, weight, and abdominal girth were recorded at each visit. After delivery the placenta was weighed, and anthropometry and Apgar scores of the neonate were recorded.
                The 2 groups had similar clinical parameters at booking. Striae gravidarum developed in 44% of patients using cocoa butter cream compared with 55% of those using placebo; the difference was not significant (chi(2)=2.8, df(1), P=0.09). Striae gravidarum were more common among younger women and those with large neonates. However, no relationship was found between development of striae and body mass index.
                Cocoa butter cream does not prevent striae gravidarum. In Afro-Caribbean women, development of striae is related to young age of the mother and large neonates. nan This study was performed in order to determine the effects of olive oil on striae gravidarum (SG) occurring within the second trimester of pregnancy. The intervention group, applied olive oil on their abdominal skin area twice a day until the end of the study term. The control group did not use any oil. Striae occurred in 40% of women using olive oil whilst striae were noted to occur in 50% of the control group. There was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups. This study notes that the use of olive oil to the end of the second trimester in pregnancy was not effective in reducing the occurrence of striae gravidarum.
                Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. To assess whether application of cocoa butter lotion reduces the development of striae gravidarum (SG).
                Multicentre, double-blind, randomised and placebo-controlled trial.
                Beirut and Tripoli, Lebanon.
                Nulliparous women presenting for prenatal care.
                Nulliparous women presenting in the first trimester were randomly assigned to receive a lotion containing cocoa butter or a placebo lotion. Women were instructed to apply the assigned lotion daily until delivery.
                The development of striae over the abdomen, breasts and thighs postpartum.
                Of 210 women enrolled, 175 (83%) completed the study. Ninety-one women received the study lotion and 84 received the placebo. There was no difference in the development of SG (45.1% versus 48.8%; P = 0.730) or the severity of SG between cases and controls. The results did not change when presence of stretch marks at enrolment or compliance with the regimen were taken into account.
                Topical application of a lotion containing cocoa butter does not appear to reduce the likelihood of developing striae gravidarum. Striae distensae are an appreciable cosmetic problem for many pregnant women. Preventive application of a water/oil massage cream was tested in a group of 24 gravidae (control group: 26 patients). In the untreated control group striae distensae were observed in two-thirds of the patients, whereas the prophylactically-treated gravidae showed development of striae in only one third of the group given the test preparation. Better results were obtained in women with a favourable constitutional predisposition than in patients with a tendency to overweight. The massage cream was well tolerated by all gravidae.
We found no high-quality evidence to support the use of any of the topical preparations in the prevention of stretch marks during pregnancy. There is a clear need for robust, methodologically rigorous randomised trials involving larger sample sizes to evaluate the effects of topical preparations on the development of stretch marks in pregnancy. In addition, it is important that preparations commonly used by women to prevent and treat stretch marks are evaluated within the context of robust, methodologically rigorous and adequately powered randomised trials.