Zainab Alimoardi , Sanaz Barghamadi , Terry Oleson , Mohammad Hossein Ayati , Mark D. Griffiths , Nasim Bahrami
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction
Women often experience more problems in sexual functioning after childbirth. Due to the high prevalence of sexual problems during the lactation period, the World Health Organization suggested measures are needed to improve women's sexual functioning during breastfeeding. The present study investigated the effect of auricular acupressure on sexual functioning among lactating women.
Methods
A randomized, sham-controlled trial was conducted between October 2019 to March 2020 in urban comprehensive health centers of Qazvin, Iran. Seventy-six women who had been lactating between six months and one year postpartum were randomly assigned to auricular acupressure group (n = 38) or sham control group (n = 38) using a balanced block randomization method. The intervention group received ear acupressure in 10 sessions (at four-day intervals) and control group also received the sham intervention at the same intervals. Sexual functioning was the primary outcome of the study (assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index) before and at three time points post-intervention (immediately after, one month after, and two months after). The secondary outcome was sexual quality of life assessed using Sexual Quality of Life-Female Version.
Results
Auricular acupressure had a large effect size on female sexual functioning at all three post-intervention time points: immediately after the intervention (adjusted mean difference [95% CI]: 8.37 [6.27; 10.46] with Cohen's d [95% CI]: 1.81[1.28; 2.34]), one month after the intervention (adjusted mean difference [95% CI]: 8.44 [6.41; 10.48] with Cohen's d [95% CI]: 2.01 [1.46; 2.56]), and two months after the intervention (adjusted mean difference [95% CI]: 7.43 [5.12; 9.71] with Cohen's d [95% CI]: 1.57 [1.06; 2.08]). The intervention significantly increased participants’ sexual quality of life on the Sexual Quality of Life-Female scale by 13.73 points in the intervention group compared to the control group (p<0.001). The effect size of intervention for female sexual quality was large (adjusted Cohen's d [95% CI]: 1.09 [0.58; 1.59]). Weekly frequency of sexual intercourse in the intervention group significantly increased compared to sham control group (p<0.001). These changes were clinically significant for sexual functioning and sexual quality of life.
Conclusion
Auricular acupressure appears to be an effective intervention for improving sexual functioning and sexual quality life of lactating women.
Clinical trial registration
Registered with the code of IRCT20190626044028N1 in the Clinical Trial Registration Center of Iran.
期刊介绍:
The European Journal of Integrative Medicine (EuJIM) considers manuscripts from a wide range of complementary and integrative health care disciplines, with a particular focus on whole systems approaches, public health, self management and traditional medical systems. The journal strives to connect conventional medicine and evidence based complementary medicine. We encourage submissions reporting research with relevance for integrative clinical practice and interprofessional education.
EuJIM aims to be of interest to both conventional and integrative audiences, including healthcare practitioners, researchers, health care organisations, educationalists, and all those who seek objective and critical information on integrative medicine. To achieve this aim EuJIM provides an innovative international and interdisciplinary platform linking researchers and clinicians.
The journal focuses primarily on original research articles including systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, other clinical studies, qualitative, observational and epidemiological studies. In addition we welcome short reviews, opinion articles and contributions relating to health services and policy, health economics and psychology.