Comparison of Natural Products and Breast Milk in Preventing and Treating Nipple Trauma and Pain in Lactating Women

Addressing nipple issues is essential during the postpartum period to support successful breastfeeding. Although breast milk is the most commonly endorsed method for nursing mothers, there is a lack of sufficient evidence in the literature demonstrating its superiority over other treatments. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of natural products compared to breast milk in preventing and alleviating nipple pain and trauma in lactating women.

This review analyzed studies sourced from PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, and Google Scholar that met specific inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of these studies was evaluated using the Cochrane and JBI checklists. The review included ten studies involving 1,139 lactating women.

Meta-analysis indicated that interventions using natural products significantly reduced nipple trauma (Hedge's g -0.702, Q = 81.154, I² = 91.374%), soreness (Hedge's g -0.648, Q = 7.092, I² = 71.801%), and pain levels (Hedge's g -0.613, Q = 25.058, I² = 76.056%).

In conclusion, natural products may be more effective than breast milk in managing nipple pain, trauma, and soreness. However, the quality of evidence for these interventions is low to very low. Additional research is necessary to identify the most effective treatments for nipple trauma in breastfeeding women.

Source: Savaş EH, Tümkaya MN, Semerci R, Eroğlu K. Comparison of the effect of natural products and breast milk for preventing and treating nipple trauma and pain in lactating women: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Explore (NY). 2024 Nov-Dec;20(6):103019. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2024.103019. Epub 2024 Jun 21. PMID: 38937192.

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