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

AIM: To investigate the effect of auricular acupressure on the severity of postpartum blues. METHODS: A 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. RESULTS: Auricular 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). CONCLUSION: Auricular acupressure was effective in reducing postpartum blues and depression, reducing maternal fatigue, and increasing maternal-infant attachment in the short-term after childbirth. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered prospectively in Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (ID: IRCT20180218038789N2).

The effect of psychoeducational intervention, based on a self-regulation model on menstrual distress in adolescents: a protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Menstrual distress caused by primary dysmenorrhea is associated with physical and psychological symptoms-before, after, and during menstruation. Leventhal's self-regulation educational model is based on the cognitive and emotional experiences of threat responses to symptoms and relates to coping responses. This study aims to investigate the effect of the implementation of a psychoeducational intervention, based on the self-regulation model of menstrual distress in adolescents. METHODS/DESIGN: In this randomized controlled trial, 120 adolescent girls with moderate to severe menstrual pain (based on visual analog scale (VAS) ≥ 4) from twelve randomly selected high schools in Qazvin City will be enrolled in the study and will be randomly assigned to either a 3-session psychoeducational intervention (n = 60) or control (n = 60) groups. The sessions will be between 60 and 90 min apiece, and they will run for three consecutive weeks (one session per week). The data collection tools will include questionnaire eliciting menstrual information and demographics, the VAS, the Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire, and the illness perception questionnaire. One month prior to the intervention, both groups will participate in an initial assessment to assess the severity of their pain and level of menstrual distress. Finally, all questionnaires will be completed for three consecutive months after the intervention is completed. DISCUSSION: It is anticipated that findings of this study will provide evidence for the effectiveness of the Leventhal self-regulation model. Implications for improved practice, understanding, and treatment for menstrual distress may also arise. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: The research protocol will be reviewed by the ethics committee, which is affiliated with the Qazvin University of Medical Sciences (Decree code: IR.QUMS.REC.1398.043). TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT20190625044002N1 . Registration date: 2019-09-03.