Postpartum Acupressure Education and Breastfeeding Outcomes
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexFemale
Age18-45
SponsorNigde Omer Halisdemir University
About this trial
This randomized controlled trial evaluates whether acupressure education provided to mothers within the first 48 hours postpartum improves exclusive breastfeeding rates at 6 months compared with standard postpartum care alone. Mothers in the intervention group will receive structured education on self-administered acupressure at selected points and will be encouraged to continue home-based practice, while the control group will receive standard breastfeeding support. Participants will be followed for 12 months to assess breastfeeding continuation, breastfeeding self-efficacy, breastfeeding quality, and breastfeeding-related outcomes.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Age 18 to 45 years
Term singleton birth (≥37 weeks of gestation)
≤48 hours postpartum at the time of enrollment
Intention to breastfeed
Disqualifiers
Contraindications to breastfeeding (e.g., infant galactosemia)
Severe neonatal condition preventing breastfeeding
Severe maternal medical or psychiatric condition interfering with breastfeeding
Current opioid, alcohol, or substance dependence
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Postpartum Acupressure Education Program
Other interventionStructured education on self-administered acupressure provided within 48 hours postpartum, including face-to-face instruction, printed visual materials, and a short instructional video. Participants are instructed to apply acupressure at specified points twice daily at home according to the study protocol.
Treatment groups
360 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: Acupressure Education Plus Standard CareExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Standard Care AloneNo intervention 0 interventions
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Exclusive breastfeeding rate at 6 months postpartum
Proportion of participants exclusively breastfeeding at 6 months postpartum, assessed by maternal self-report using 24-hour recall with additional validation questions, consistent with World Health Organization definitions.
Time frame
At 6 months postpartumSecondary outcomes
1
Any breastfeeding rate at 12 months postpartum
Proportion of participants providing any breast milk at 12 months postpartum.
Time frame
At 12 months postpartum2
Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF) score
Total score on the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF). The scale consists of 14 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1-5), yielding a total score ranging from 14 to 70, with higher scores indicating greater breastfeeding self-efficacy.
Time frame
Baseline (≤48 hours postpartum), 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postpartum3
Breastfeeding quality score (LATCH)
Breastfeeding quality assessed using the LATCH breastfeeding assessment tool. The LATCH score consists of 5 components (Latch, Audible swallowing, Type of nipple, Comfort, Hold), each rated from 0 to 2, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate better breastfeeding performance.
Time frame
Baseline (≤48 hours postpartum) and 1 month postpartum4
Maternal breastfeeding satisfaction score
Maternal self-reported satisfaction with the breastfeeding experience, assessed using a single-item numeric rating scale ranging from 0 to 10, where higher scores indicate greater breastfeeding satisfaction.
Time frame
1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postpartumSponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov