Effect of aromatherapy on post-partum complications: A systematic review

[Fatigue relief by aromatherapy use in prenatal and postnatal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis]

Purpose

The purpose of this systematic review was to examine aromatherapy interventions for prenatal and postnatal women, and to determine the effectiveness of these interventions on fatigue.

Methods

Six national and international databases were reviewed to retrieve and collect studies published up to September 7, 2021, describing randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials of aromatherapy interventions for prenatal and postnatal women's fatigue. Of the 323 articles initially identified, 64 duplicates were excluded and 259 were screened. After further excluding 216 articles not related to PICO framework, 10 were selected for review. Two reviewers independently selected studies and conducted data extraction and quality appraisal using Cochran's Risk of Bias and Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Non-randomized Studies.

Results

The quality of the 10 selected studies was overall satisfactory. A meta-analysis of three studies showed that aromatherapy with lavender oil? produced a 0.75-point reduction in postnatal mothers' fatigue when compared to control groups. Sleep quality was also analyzed as a secondary outcome of fatigue. A meta-analysis of four studies using lavender and/or orange peel oil found that aromatherapy produced a 0.98-point improvement in postnatal mothers' quality of sleep. Although a meta-analysis could not be conducted to synthesize the findings for fatigue in pregnant women, inhalation and massage therapy using lavender oil showed positive effects on prenatal fatigue and sleep quality.

Conclusion

Aromatherapy using lavender oil and orange peel oil is effective in improving prenatal and postnatal fatigue and sleep quality.

Mental health promotion and protection relating to key life events and transitions in adulthood: a rapid systematic review of systematic reviews

BACKGROUND

During the decades representing working-age adulthood, most people will experience one or several significant life events or transitions. These may present a challenge to mental health.

AIM

The primary aim of this rapid systematic review of systematic reviews was to summarise available evidence on the effectiveness of interventions to promote and protect mental health relating to four key life events and transitions: pregnancy and early parenthood, bereavement, unemployment, and housing problems. This review was conducted to inform UK national policy on mental health support.

METHODS

We searched key databases for systematic reviews of interventions for working-age adults (19 to 64 years old) who had experienced or were at risk of experiencing one of four key life events. Titles and abstracts were screened by two reviewers in duplicate, as were full-text manuscripts of relevant records. We assessed the quality of included reviews and extracted data on the characteristics of each literature review. We prioritised high quality, recent systematic reviews for more detailed data extraction and synthesis.

RESULTS

The search and screening of 3997 titles/abstracts and 239 full-text papers resulted in 134 relevant studies, 68 of which were included in a narrative synthesis. Evidence was strongest and of the highest quality for interventions to support women during pregnancy and after childbirth. For example, we found benefits of physical activity and psychological therapy for outcomes relating to mental health after birth. There was high quality evidence of positive effects of online bereavement interventions and psychological interventions on symptoms of grief, post-traumatic stress, and depression. Evidence was inconclusive and of lower quality for a range of other bereavement interventions, unemployment support interventions, and housing interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

Whilst evidence based mental health prevention and promotion is available during pregnancy and early parenthood and for bereavement, it is unclear how best to support adults experiencing job loss, unemployment, and housing problems.

Nurses' Perspectives on Postpartum Pain Management

Introduction:

There is variation in postpartum opioid use by prescriber characteristics that cannot be explained by patient or birth factors. Thus, our objective was to evaluate nursing training, clinical practices, and perspectives on opioid use for postpartum pain management.

Materials and Methods:

In this survey study, postpartum bedside nurses at a single, large academic center were asked about training, factors influencing clinical decisions, and viewpoints regarding pain management and opioid use. Findings were summarized using descriptive analyses.

Results:

A total of 92 nurses completed the survey. A majority (77%) reported having received some formal training on opioid use for pain management. About a quarter (25.7%) felt their training was not adequate. Regarding clinical practices, the majority (71% and 70%, respectively) reported that “routine habit” and “patient preference” most influenced the type and amount of pain medication they administered. Finally, nurses' perspectives on pain management demonstrated a wide range of beliefs. Most nurses strongly agreed with the importance of maximizing nonopioid pain medication before opioid administration. The majority agreed that patient-reported pain score is important to consider when deciding to administer opioids. Conversely, most nurses disagreed that patients should be encouraged to endure as much pain as possible before using an opioid. Similarly, beliefs about the reliability of use of vital signs in assessing pain intensity varied widely.

Conclusions:

Bedside nurses rely on routine habits, patient preference, and patient-reported pain score when administering opioids for postpartum pain management. Increased training opportunities to improve consistency and standardization of opioid administration may be beneficial.

COVID-19, the firestone in 21st century: a review on coronavirus disease and its clinical perspectives

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak began in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, and have since spread globally. Deep sequencing analysis identified the disease within a few weeks, and on February 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) named it "COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2." SARS-CoV-2 was declared a global pandemic by the WHO in March 2020. Coronavirus disease has become a global challenge for researchers and health care workers, affecting over 174 million people and causing over 3 million deaths. Because of the widespread nature, extensive measures are being taken to reduce person-to-person contact, and special precautions are being taken to prevent the transmission of this infection to vulnerable populations such as geriatrics, pediatrics, and health care professionals. We summarized the genesis of COVID-19 spread, its pathology, clinical perspectives, and the use of natural ingredients as a possible cure for COVID-19 in this review. This article has highlighted information about current vaccines approved for emergency use as well as those in various stages of clinical trials. Vaccine availability around the world is a promising development in the fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We conducted a narrative review to present the current state and research on this situation, specific diagnosis, clinical manifestation, emergency approaches, herbal-based remedies, and COVID vaccines.

The effectiveness and safety of complementary health approaches to managing postpartum pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Women experience pain from a number of causes during the postpartum period. Although pharmacological pain relief has shown to be effective, the efficacy of non-pharmacological methods of pain relief will be of interest to breastfeeding women. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the efficacy and safety of complementary approaches to manage postpartum pain.

Methods

A search of English language databases from their inception to 2020 was undertaken for randomised controlled trials and included primiparous and multiparous women who experienced postpartum pain up to two weeks post birth. The primary outcome was pain. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool.

Results

Thirty trials were included in the review, 25 trials (2,413 women) were included in the meta-analysis. Two trials of massage found a reduction in pain following caesarean birth within the first 24 h post birth (MD -2.64, 95–2.82 to -2.46, 184 women, I² 0%), and at seven days postpartum (MD -1.91, 95%CI -2.42 to -1.40, 2 trials, 120 women I² 37%). Two trials conducted with women receiving an episiotomy found reduction in perineal pain from herbal ointments within 24 h (MD -1.33, 95% CI -.96 to -0.70, 221 women) and at 14 days postpartum (MD -0.74, 95% CI -1.02 to -0.47, 4 trials). Few trials reported on safety, few trials were at an overall low risk of bias, and overall the quality of evidence was very low.

Conclusion

Further high quality trials are needed to determine the safety and effectiveness of herbal ointment and massage during the early postpartum period.

Aromatherapy in Obstetrics: A Critical Review of the Literature

Aromatherapy is the use of highly concentrated aromatic plant oils administered in various ways for a wide range of therapeutic indications. The purpose of this review is to present an overview of the evidence on aromatherapy during the perinatal period. There is research on the prenatal use of aromatherapy to treat nausea and vomiting, reduce stress, and support immune function; the intrapartum use of aromatherapy for labor pain/anxiety and labor progress; and the postpartum use of aromatherapy for postcesarean symptoms, perineal trauma, sleep, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Overall, the evidence suggests that aromatherapy can be administered safely and effectively in obstetrics.

Psychological and Antibacterial Effects of Footbath Using the Lindera umbellata Essential Oil

Lindera umbellata (Lu) essential oil primarily contains linalool and has relaxation properties. We investigated the psychological and antibacterial effects of footbath with Lu essential oil. The participants included 20 women without medical history and received two intervention plans: footbath without any essential oil and footbath using Lu essential oil. Next, questionnaires regarding impressions and mood states were provided for them to answer. In addition, their autonomic nervous system activity was measured, and the aerobic viable of count on the feet was determined. The high-frequency value reflecting the parasympathetic nervous system activity significantly increased after footbath using Lu essential oil. In the questionnaire about the mood states, the subscale scores of tension–anxiety, depression, fatigue, and confusion after intervention were lower than those before intervention regardless of the use of the essential oil. Conversely, the anger–hostility score decreased only in the group using Lu essential oil. Furthermore, the decrease in aerobic viable count after intervention was not significantly different between the two groups. Footbath using Lu essential oil increased the parasympathetic nervous system activity and relieved anger. Taken together, we suggest that footbath using Lu essential oil has a relaxation effect.

Potential therapeutic effect of Chrysopogon zizanioides (Vetiver) as an anti-inflammatory agent

Vetiver has a broad history of traditional medicinal uses, but only a handful of research article has reported its utility in treating diseases. But unfortunately, no work has been reported on the anti-inflammatory activity of its plant extract and inflammatory-linked diseases. Hence, the present review focuses on investigating the several presumptions which can be put forward to explain its anti-inflammatory property. Thus, for ensuring the same, all the databases like science direct, PubMed, book chapters, and other authenticated papers were thoroughly studied to present a connection between inflammation and the plant potential. After gaining enough knowledge on pathogenesis of inflammation, it has been observed that the release of mediators from the arachidonic acid metabolism pathway and generation of oxidative and nitrogen species are presented as the main reason for the occurrence of inflammation condition. The stimulation of antioxidant enzyme system network by the plant extract reduces the level of oxidative stress, creating a balance between oxidant and antioxidant system. Moreover, its antimicrobial activity will prevent the biological source of stimulation towards injury and the CNS depressant effect will subside the pain of inflammation. Amalgamating all the factors together, the plant can be utilized as anti-inflammatory can be and also can be proved as a beneficial perspective in the treatment of inflammation-linked disorders.

Effect of aromatherapy massage by orange essential oil on post-cesarean anxiety: a randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVES

Many women in recent years have been willing to undergo puncture surgery for childbirth, which, like other surgeries, has physical and psychological side effects such as incision, infertility, chronic pain, and anxiety. Therefore, it is important to reduce and improve these side effects. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of foot massage with orange essential oil on anxiety in women undergoing cesarean section.

METHODS

This randomized clinical trial study was conducted in 2019 on 80 women referred to Bahar Shahroud Hospital after cesarean section surgery. The samples were divided into two groups by intervention (foot massage with orange essential oil) and control (foot massage without orange essential oil). The Spielberger scale was used to determine anxiety scores after cesarean section. In the intervention group, the feet were massaged with orange essential oil, and in the control group, the orange essential oil massage was performed without oil. Anxiety before, immediately after, and 60 min after the intervention was measured and evaluated in both groups. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Significant levels were considered for all statistical tests (p<0.05).

RESULTS

The anxiety score before the intervention in the two groups of intervention and control was 57.12 ± 3.12 and 57.07 ± 3.54, respectively, which were not significantly different, but immediately after the intervention, the anxiety scores in both groups decreased significantly so that there was a further decrease in the intervention group (52.10 ± 4.75 and 56.02 ± 3.77), 1 h after the intervention, the anxiety score in the intervention group decreased compared to the previous stage and increased in the control group (50.40 ± 3.74 and 56.85 ± 4.27).

CONCLUSIONS

Foot massage with orange essential oil can probably be effective as a proper nursing intervention in reducing anxiety after cesarean section surgery.

Appraisal of systematic reviews on interventions for postpartum depression: systematic review

BACKGROUND

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a highly prevalent mental health problem that affects parental health with implications for child health in infancy, childhood, adolescence and beyond. The primary aim of this study was to critically appraise available systematic reviews describing interventions for PPD. The secondary aim was to evaluate the methodological quality of the included systematic reviews and their conclusions.

METHODS

An electronic database search of MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from 2000 to 2020 was conducted to identify systematic reviews that examined an intervention for PPD. A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews was utilized to independently score each included systematic review which was then critically appraised to better define the most effective therapeutic options for PPD.

RESULTS

Of the 842 studies identified, 83 met the a priori criteria for inclusion. Based on the systematic reviews with the highest methodological quality, we found that use of antidepressants and telemedicine were the most effective treatments for PPD. Symptoms of PPD were also improved by traditional herbal medicine and aromatherapy. Current evidence for physical exercise and cognitive behavioural therapy in treating PPD remains equivocal. A significant, but weak relationship between AMSTAR score and journal impact factor was observed (p = 0.03, r = 0.24; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.43) whilst no relationship was found between the number of total citations (p = 0.27, r = 0.12; 95% CI, - 0.09 to 0.34), or source of funding (p = 0.19).

CONCLUSION

Overall the systematic reviews on interventions for PPD are of low-moderate quality and are not improving over time. Antidepressants and telemedicine were the most effective therapeutic interventions for PPD treatment.

Effect of aromatherapy on cancer complications: A systematic review

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of aromatherapy on cancer complications.

METHODS

In this systematic review, international (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE and CENTRAL) and national databases (SID and Magiran) were searched from inception of the databases to April 31, 2019. JBI and Jadad scales were used to assess the quality of the studies included.

RESULTS

of 43 Studies conducted on 3239 cancer patients in 13 countries from 1995 to 2019, entered the final stage. The results showed that the aromatherapy improves the various physical and psychological complications, although few studies have shown that aromatherapy had no effect on skin reactions.

CONCLUSION

Considering the various complications and costs in cancer patients, it seems that the aromatherapy can be used as a proper supplemental treatment to improve complications, although further studies are needed to determine the protocol and the standard dosage.