Application of Acupressure in Midwifery; a Narrative Review Study

Acupressure is one of the most common forms of complementary medicine that has been always common in ancient times and now become popular again. Also, there are evidence of its application in midwifery. Given the importance of this issue, this study survey the effect of acupressure on nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, childbirth and dysmenorrhea. Most studies have found that acupressure is effective in reducing pregnancy problems and decrease need for medication. The results of studies on the effect of acupressure are contradictory. One of the causes of these contradictions is the required time for its effect, the difference in duration and intensity of pressure and selecting various points for a particular problem. But despite these differences, most articles emphasize on the effectiveness of this method. Acupressure is a good non-pharmacological method to reduce pregnancy problems and control labor pain and dysmenorrhea. Due to the convenience, cheapness and safety, the tendency to use this method is high. This method is non-invasive, without complications, and can be done easily by mothers and is used in maternity care centers, but, due to the contradictory results of studies, standardization of this method seems necessary.