Dark chocolate may soothe fetal distress, new study suggests

NCT ID NCT07418151

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether giving pregnant women a single dose of dark chocolate (30g, at least 80% cocoa) can improve their baby's heart rate pattern during a non-stress test. 190 women with a non-reactive test will be randomly assigned to eat dark chocolate or a sugar-free white chocolate placebo. The main goal is to see if more babies show a healthy heart rate response within 20 minutes after the chocolate.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

dark chocolate (≥80% cocoa)

What this could lead to

If it works, this could offer a simple, pleasant way to improve fetal well-being during pregnancy monitoring.

What could go wrong

This is a small, early-stage trial. The effect may be small or no different from placebo, and results may not apply to all pregnancies.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Fetal Distress

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • Hospital San Felipe

    RECRUITING

    Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán Department, 11101, Honduras

    Contact

    Contact

    Contact

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••