OTTAWA — Pregnant women should be given the choice to eat and drink during labour, says a Queen's University professor whose new research finds no benefit from restricting food and fluids.

"We've been able to determine that restriction of food and fluids provided no benefits to women in labour, nor did it provide harm," Dr. Joan Tranmer, an associate professor at the School of Nursing, said Wednesday. She and two other colleagues conducted a review of five randomized trials consisting of more than 3,000 women.

"I can remember very early in my clinical practice that we were only allowed to offer ice chips but sometimes, we would offer women up to five cups of ice chips because they were that thirsty," she added.

Tranmer recommends women be allowed to chose foods and fluids with a source of glucose, such as juice and sports drinks.

If a woman is having a long labour, she'll need a source of energy. Ice chips and water aren't going to provide that, said Tranmer.

Historically, the restriction was justified because of the risk of regurgitation under anesthetic.

"With medical advances over the past 60 years, including the increase use of epidural anesthesia, we thought it was time to question the widespread ban on food and drink now that we are in the 2000s," said Tranmer. "The use of general anesthesia during C-sections is low. And even when used, the techniques have improved since the 1940s, so the risk of maternal death or illness is very, very low"

Tranmer said she would like to research the types of food and fluids best suited for labour in the future.