Preventive Effect of Warm Herbal Compress for Breast Combined with Acupoint Massage on Early Postpartum Breast Engorgement in Parturlents and Analysis of Influencing Factors
Abstract: Objective: To observe the preventive effect of warm herbal compress for breast combined with acupoint massage on early postpartum breast engorgement in parturients and to analyze the influencing factors. Methods:A total of 200 parturients who delivered at the Department of Obstetrics,Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from March 2023 to March 2024 were selected as research subjects and divided into an observation group and a control group,with 100 cases in each group,using a random number table method. The observation group was given an intervention of warm herbal compress for breast combined with acupoint massage,while the control group was given only acupoint massage. The incidence of breast engorgement, breast-feeding rate, degree of breast engorgement,and breast hardness were compared between the two groups. The parturients in the observation group were further divided into a breast engorgement subgroup and a non-engorgement subgroup according to the occurrence of breast engorgement within five days after delivery. Clinical data were compared between the two subgroups,and Logistic regression models were used to analyze the influencing factors. Results:Within five days after delivery,the incidence of breast engorgement in the observation group was 17.00% (17/100), lower than that in the control group at 29.00% (29/100),and the difference in the incidence of breast engorgement between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). On the third day after delivery, the degree of breast engorgement and breast hardness in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). On the fifth day after delivery,the degree of breast engorgement in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in breast hardness between the two groups (P>0.05). The observation group had a shorter time to initiate lactation after delivery (P<0.05) and a higher breast-feeding rate within five days after delivery (P<0.05). The parturients in the observation group were divided into a breast engorgement subgroup (17 cases) and a nonengorgement subgroup (83 cases) based on the occurrence of breast engorgement within five days after delivery. There were no significant differences between the two subgroups in pre-pregnancy body mass index, age, gravidity, or depression (P>0.05). However, significant differences were found in parity, educational level, mode of delivery, sleep quality, and anxiety between the two subgroups (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that mode of delivery,sleep quality,and anxiety were independent influencing factors for the poor preventive effect of warm herbal compress for breast combined with acupoint massage on early postpartum breast engorgement in parturients (P<0.05). Conclusion:Warm herbal compress for breast combined with acupoint massage has a good preventive effect on early postpartum breast engorgement in parturients. It can effectively reduce the degree of breast engorgement and breast hardness,promote early initiation of lactation,and ensure the breast-feeding rate. The preventive effect is influenced by the mode of delivery,sleep quality,and anxiety.