The effects of ear acupressure therapy on obstetric and gynecological pain in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of ear acupressure therapy on obstetric and gynecological (OBGY) pain in women through a systematic review and meta-analysis, providing foundational data on complementary and alternative therapies. Methods Using the PICO-SD framework, searches were conducted across seven electronic databases: PubMed, Cochrane, EMBASE-OVID, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, and RISS. The population (P) was women; the intervention (I) included ear acupressure, acupuncture, or auriculotherapy; the control (C) was usual obstetric care or placebo therapy; the outcome (O) was pain; and the study design (SD) was a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Revised Checklist for RCTs. Meta-regression and exclusion sensitivity analyses were also performed. Results Sixteen studies were included, with a pooled overall effect size of Hedge's g = −1.41 (95% confidence interval: −1.96 to −0.86). Meta-regression revealed that factors such as publication year, region, institutional review board approval, funding, sample size, type of pain, intervention type, tools, stimulus points, control group type, intervention duration, session count, session time, outcome measurement time, and quality assessment scores significantly influenced pain reduction. Conclusion The findings confirm that ear acupressure therapy effectively reduces OBGY pain. However, given the variations in application methods and resulting differences in effectiveness, it is necessary to carefully consider factors such as tools, stimulus points, intervention methods, control group interventions, duration, session count, and session time when applying the therapy. Key Words: Acupressure; Gynecology; Meta-analysis; Pain; Systematic review