A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effect of Zucchini Seed Oil on Nipple Pain Among Lactating Women

Abstract

Objective:Nipple pain is one of the most common reasons for early termination of breastfeeding; thus, effective treatment of this condition is very important. Previous studies have proposed the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of theCucurbita pepoplant. The present study was conducted to determine the effects ofC. peposeed oil on the severity of nipple pain in lactating women.Methods:In this randomized clinical trial study, 60 lactating women with nipple pain were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (zucchini seed oil) or the control group (breast milk). In the intervention group, 0.5 mL of zucchini seed oil was applied to the nipples and areola three times a day after each breastfeeding session to ensure the absence of an allergy to zucchini compounds. In the control group, three to four drops of breast milk were applied to the nipples and areola after each breastfeeding session. Pain score was recorded using a visual analog scale before the intervention and on the third and eighth day after the intervention. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Software for Social Sciences software (version 24). Apvalue of less than .05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Before the intervention, there was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups with regard to mean pain severity (p= .330). On the third day, the mean pain intensity in the intervention group significantly decreased compared with the control group (p= .023). On the eighth day, the mean pain severity was significantly lower in the intervention group compared with the control group (p= .016).Conclusions:The findings of this study indicate that zucchini seed oil extract was effective in reducing the severity of nipple pain in lactating women. Therefore, use of this oil extract is suggested for treatment of nipple pain in lactating women.