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Keywords breastfeeding women, nipple fissures, nipple pain, zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) seed oil
Submitted 15 February 2023, Accepted 2 September 2023
Abstract
Background Nipple fissure is one of the most common breast problems in the first days postpartum. This study aims to evaluate the effect of zucchini seed oil on the severity of nipple fissures and pain in breastfeeding women.
Methods This clinical trial will include breastfeeding women with nipple fissures who will be allocated to control and intervention groups using permuted blocks of four (30 people in each group). The demographic questionnaire, the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Storr scale will be used for data collection. Participants in the intervention group will use zucchini seed oil, applied 0.5-1 ml or five to ten drops on the nipple and areola three times a day for 7 days, and let it remain in place for at least 1 hour if the application of the oil does not cause itching or redness. They will be further asked to apply three to four drops of their breast milk on the nipple after the other breastfeeding sessions. The control group will practise routine care; specifically, they will apply three to four drops of their breast milk on the nipple and areola after each breastfeeding session. The two groups will be asked to visit in person on the days 3 and 8 after the start of the intervention for follow-up, and the severity of pain and fissure will be recorded by the researcher. Data will be analysed using SPSS-16 software.
Discussion The results will provide rigorous scientific evidence on the use of zucchini seed oil for reducing nipple fissures and pain. If the results show a positive effect regarding the use of zucchini seed oil in the treatment of fissures, the daily use of this product by breastfeeding mothers with nipple fissures and pain can be recommended.
(ProQuest: ... denotes formula omitted.)
Background
Nipple fissure is one of the most common breast problems in the first days postpartum1. Nipple fissure is a lesion on the nipple of breastfeeding women that can be bleeding or not bleeding and may be seen in the form of a transverse fissure on the tip of the nipple, a star-shaped fissure, or on the...