The Effect of Pineapple Juice (Ananas comosus) on the Uterine Involution of Postpartum Mothers at Pratama Jannah and Dermawati Maternity Clinics of Deli Serdang Regency in 2019

Uterine involution is the enlarged uterus that undergoes a physiological involution of about 6 weeks returning to its nonpregnant condition. Uterine subinvolusion occurs due to the uterus cannot contract properly, causing bleeding, leading possibility to death. Various synthetic drugs have been used in accelerating uterine involution by inducing uterine contractions and preventing uterine subinvolution often lead to anaphylactic reactions, short-term arterial hypotension, hot flashes and reflex tachycardia, nausea, vomiting, and heart rhythm disturbances. Concerning the adverse effects of the synthetic drugs in accelerating uterine contractions and preventing uterine subinvolution, many researchers had conducted studies pertaining to the beneficial of natural medicinal plants in accelerating uterine involution by inducing uterine contractions and preventing uterine subinvolution, including pineapple (Ananas comosus). The aim of the current study was to determine the effect of pineapple juice on the uteral involution in postpartum mothers at Pratama Jannah and Dermawati Maternity Clinics of Deli Serdang Regency in 2019. The study design was a quasi-experiment with pretest and posttest using independent t-test. The sample numbers were 40 postpartum mothers that consisted of 20 samples in the control group and 20 samples in the intervention group by predetermined criteria. The dependent variable of uteral involution by inducing uterine contractions was fundal height (the distance between the symphisis pubis and the uterine fundus) and the independent variable was pineapple juice. Fundal height was measured using a metric tape. Data collection was carried out by the means of direct interview using questionnaires and observation sheets. The data were analyzed using independent t-test. The statistical test used was t-test. Results of the statistical t-test revealed that p-value =0.0001 < α = 0.05, in which Ho was rejected, meaning that there was a significant difference in the group control group and the intervention group on the uterine involution in postpartum mothers with p-value was 0.002 (α <0.05). It was concluded that pineapple juice showed a significant effect in reducing uterine subinvolution and accelerated uterine involution of postpartum mothers at Pratama Jannah and Dermawati Maternity Clinics in Deli Serdang Regency. It is suggested to use pineapple juice as natural therapy in reducing the adverse effects of uteral involution.