Document Type : Review Article
Authors
1
PhD Candidate of Reproductive Health, Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2
1. PhD Candidate of Reproductive Health, Student Research Committee, Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health ,School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
3
PhD Candidate of Reproductive Health, Student Research Committee, Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health ,School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4
2. Professor, Midwifery and Reproductive Health Research Center,Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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3. PhD of midwifery and Reproductive Health, Clinical Research Development Center, Motazedi Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
6
M.Sc. of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
7
Department of mid midwifery
10.22038/ijogi.2025.87593.6422
Abstract
Background: In the postpartum period, effective pain management has been shown to positively impact mother's attitude toward child care and daily activities. Since chemical treatments have side effects for both mother and baby, present study aimed to review clinical trials conducted on the effect of auriculotherapy on postpartum pain.
Methods: A comprehensive review of all English-language clinical trial studies in this field was conducted up to August 2024. A comprehensive search of international databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, was conducted to identify relevant studies. The search terms encompassed the following keywords: "vaginal postpartum pain," "cesarean section postpartum pain," "external ear stimulation," "auriculotherapy," "ear acupressure," and "ear acupuncture," which were combined with the Boolean operators OR and AND. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Jonah Briggs Institute (JBI) Clinical Trials Study Validation Tool, and results were reported qualitatively.
Results: 415 studies were found and 11 studies with a sample size of 1362 participants from Iran, China, India, Thailand, USA and Germany were selected according to the study objective. Most studies showed a significant reduction in pain intensity and analgesic consumption in the auriculotherapy group compared to the control group. Also, no specific side effects were reported in most studies in this regard.
Conclusion: Auriculotherapy has been shown to be an effective, uncomplicated, and accessible alternative to chemical treatments, with the potential to enhance the quality of life in the initial days following delivery.
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