Effect of auricular acupressure on postpartum blues: A randomized sham controlled trial

Abstract

AimTo investigate the effect of auricular acupressure on the severity of postpartum blues. MethodsA randomized sham controlled trial was conducted from February to November 2021, with 74 participants who were randomly allocated into two groups of either routine care + auricular acupressure (n = 37), or routine care + sham control (n = 37). Vacaria seeds with special non-latex adhesives were used to perform auricular acupressure on seven ear acupoints. There were two intervention sessions with an interval of five days. In the sham group, special non-latex adhesives without vacaria seeds were attached in the same acupoints as the intervention group. Severity of postpartum blues, fatigue, maternal-infant attachment, and postpartum depression were assessed. ResultsAuricular acupressure was associated with significant effect in reduction of postpartum blues on 10th and 15th days after childbirth (SMD = −2.77 and −2.15 respectively), postpartum depression on the 21st day after childbirth (SMD = −0.74), and maternal fatigue on 10th, 15th and 21st days after childbirth (SMD = −2.07, −1.30 and −1.32, respectively). Also, maternal-infant attachment was increased significantly on the 21st day after childbirth (SMD = 1.95). ConclusionAuricular acupressure was effective in reducing postpartum blues and depression, reducing maternal fatigue, and increasing maternal-infant attachment in the short-term after childbirth. Trial registrationRegistered prospectively in Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (ID: IRCT20180218038789N2).