Cocoa Butter for Prevention of Stretch Marks

This study will check to see if using cocoa butter lotion on the belly, breasts and thighs will help reduce the appearance of stretch marks in pregnancy. Women entering the study will either receive a lotion containing cocoa butter with vitamin E or a lotion containing only vitamin E. After delivery, the study investigators will evaluate whether the women who used cocoa butter lotion were less likely to develop stretch marks.

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Key information

Conditions

Striae Gravidarum Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms Skin Manifestations Striae Distensae

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

American University of Beirut

Beirut, Lebanon

About this study

Primigravid women presenting for prenatal care in the first trimester will be recruited to participate in the study. They will be randomly assigned to receive the study lotion (a commercially available lotion containing cocoa butter with viatmin E), a placebo lotion (a lotion containing vitamin E but no cocoa butter). Participants and investigators will be blinded to the lotion assignment.

Women will be asked to apply a thin layer of the lotion to their abdomen, breasts and thighs once daily until the date of delivery. Participants will be recruited as early in their pregnancy as possible but will not be asked to start applying the lotion before 12 weeks of pregnancy. Women presenting after 20 weeks of pregnancy will not be eligible to participate in the study. The cocoa butter and placebo lotions have been made up to look, smell and feel the same and will be provided to the participants in identical containers. Women who have known hypersensitivity to cocoa butter or any of the components of the lotion will be excluded from the study.

Participants will be assessed at study entry for presence of stretch marks. Baseline information will be collected at that time including pre-pregnancy weight, skin type, and history of stretch marks in the mother or siblings. Women will then be followed up monthly by telephone to assess compliance with the regimen and ensure that they are not developing skin reactions.

Participants will be assessed for the development of stretch marks after delivery. Women will also be asked to provide their own assessment of their skin condition in terms of presence/absence of stretch marks and their severity.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Primigravid women in first trimester of pregnancy

Exclusion criteria

Hypersensitivity of cocoa butter

Treatment and study plan

Cocoa butter application

Drug

Primary outcomes

Development of stretch marks

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

American University of Beirut Medical Center

Other

Collaborators

Wellcome Trust

Registry information

Official study title

Topical Application of Cocoa Butter for Prevention of Striae Gravidarum

Important dates

Study start: 2004
Study completion: 2006
First posted: Jun 17, 2005
Registry last updated: Mar 6, 2009

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed