title: Clinical observation on the treatment of post-cesarean hypogalactia by auricular points sticking-pressing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effect of auricular points sticking-pressing (APSP) in treating post-cesarean hypogalactia (PCH).
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized, controlled, single-blinded clinical trial on 116 patients with PCH was carried out. They were equally assigned to the treatment group and the control group. The treatment group received APSP, with the pellets pressed for 4 times daily, while the control group was only asked to do lactation to meet infant demand. The therapeutic efficacy and the changes in scores of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome, volume of milk secretion, supplementary feeding and serum level of prolactin (PRL) in the two groups were estimated and compared after the patients had been treated for 5 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cured and markedly effective rate in the treatment group was 89.7%, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (27.6%, P<0.05), 95% CI (0.1543, 0.2527). The improvement of TCM syndrome, elevation of milking volume, decrease of the supplementary feeding and increase of PRL level revealed in the treatment group were all superior to those in the control group, showing statistical significance (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  APSP shows an apparent efficacy in treating PCH and is worthy of application in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wuhan Hospital of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Wuhan, 430022, China. zhhy820@126.com
authors.forename: Hai-yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hong-juan
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Xue-mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Hui-jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Li-rong
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Yi-ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D020831:Acupuncture, Ear / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology; D007775:Lactation Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011312:Pressure; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011388:Prolactin