Potential combination of back massage therapy and acupressure as complementary therapy in postpartum women for the increase in the hormone oxytocin

Abstract

Objective

This study was designed to determine the effect of back massage, acupressure, and a combination of a back massage and acupressure to the levels of the hormone oxytocin and uterine involution of postpartum primipara mothers.

Method

It was a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group design that is observations made before and after treatment of the subject. Subjects consisted of 45 primipara postpartum mothers divided into three groups, each group consisting of 15 mothers. The interventions carried out were back massage, acupressure, and a combination of back massage. All interventions were carried out once a day for three days daily with a duration of 30 min every morning at 09.00–09.15. Massage is carried out along the vertebrae until the 5th and 6th costal bone; then acupressure is performed at the LU point 1-rib 2, point CV 17, and point SI 1.

Results

All groups given complementary therapy showed a significant increase in the oxytocin hormone. However, the highest increase was in the combination of back massage and acupressure.

Conclusion

The combination of back massage and acupressure therapy is worth considering as a complementary therapy for postpartum primiparous women in helping to increase the hormone oxytocin.