Coco Butter

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2008.01796.x www.blackwellpublishing.com/bjog

General obstetrics
2/29/12 11:08 AM

Cocoa butter lotion for prevention of striae gravidarum: a double-blind, randomisedand placebo-controlled trial*
H Osman,a,b IM Usta,c N Rubeiz,d R Abu-Rustum,e I Charara,f AH Nassarc
of Health Behaviour and Education b Department of Family Medicine c Department of Obstetrics andGynecology and of Dermatology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon e Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nini Women’s Center, Tripoli, Lebanon f Department of Obstetricsand Gynecology, Bahman Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon Correspondence: Dr AH Nassar, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, PO Box 113-6044/B36, Beirut,Lebanon. Email: an21@aub.edu.lb
d Department a Department

Accepted 28 April 2008.

Objective To assess whether application of cocoa butter lotion

reduces the development of striae gravidarum (SG).Design Multicentre, double-blind, randomised and placebo-

controlled trial.
Setting Beirut and Tripoli, Lebanon. Population Nulliparous women presenting for prenatal care. Methods Nulliparouswomen presenting in the first trimester were

Results Of 210 women enrolled, 175 (83%) completed the study. Ninety-one women received the study lotion and 84 received the placebo. There was nodifference 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 withthe regimen were taken into account. Conclusion Topical application of a lotion containing cocoa butter

randomly assigned to receive a lotion containing cocoa butter or a placebo lotion. Women wereinstructed to apply the assigned lotion daily until delivery.
Main outcome measure The development of striae over the

does not appear to reduce the likelihood of developing striae gravidarum....