The Effect of Acupressure on Prolactin Levels During Lactogenesis II in Postpartum Mother

Abstract

Objective: Breast milk is the ideal nutrition for infants, reducing the risk of infection and stunting when given exclusively for the first six months. However, exclusive breastfeeding rates remain low, often due to delayed milk production caused by insufficient prolactin and oxytocin stimulation. Acupressure can help stimulate prolactin by activating the pituitary gland.Methods: The purpose of this study was to ascertain how acupressure affected postpartum moms' prolactin levels throughout the lactogenesis II phase. A control group and two groups were included in this quasi-experimental study's pre- and post-test design. Forty lactogenesis II phase postpartum moms made up the sample; twenty were in the intervention group (acupressure was administered), and twenty were in the control group (no acupressure) conducted at the Aji Batara Agung Dewa Sakti Samboja Regional General Hospital from January to April 2025. The Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests served during analysis of the data.Results: Results showed that in the intervention group, the mean prolactin level increased from 263,865 ng/mL before intervention to 400,445 ng/mL after intervention—a significant increase of 136.58 ng/mL. In contrast, the control group showed a slight decrease in prolactin levels from 266,590 ng/mL to 242,610 ng/mL. Statistical analysis confirmed a significant difference in prolactin levels between the two groups after the intervention (p-value = 0.006).Conclusion: Acupressure therapy significantly increases prolactin levels during the lactogenesis II phase in postpartum mothers.

Access to Document

Other files and links

• Link to publication in Scopus
• Open Access Version Available

Fingerprint