Honey Effective in Healing Cesarean Section Incisions

Oman Med J, 2014 Jul;29(4):255-9

The effect of honey gel on abdominal wound healing in cesarean section: a triple blind randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE:

To assess whether honey can accelerate the wound healing in women undergoing cesarean section.

METHODS:

This was a triple blinded randomized prospective clinical trial. Women with cesarean section were randomly designated as drug (37 cases) and placebo (38 cases) groups. The drug group received local honey gel 25% while the placebo group received similar free-honey gel on abdominal cesarean incision twice a day for 14 days. REEDA scale (Redness, Edema, Ecchymosis, Discharge and Approximation of wound edges) was used to assess wound healing.

RESULTS:

The mean REEDA was 2.27 ± 2.46 and 3.91 ± 2.74 (p=0.008) on the 7(th) day and 0.47 ± 0.84 and 1.59± 1.95 (p=0.002) on the 14(th) day for the drug and placebo groups, respectively. Redness, edema and hematoma in the drug group were significantly lower on the 7(th) and 14(th) days.

CONCLUSION:

Honey was effective in healing the cesarean section incision. Using topical honey is suggested as a natural product with rare side effects in order to reduce the complications of cesarean wounds.