Midwives’ knowledge and views of acupressure during the perinatal period

Abstract

Overview: Acupressure involves the application of firm pressure on specific acupoints of the body using thumb or finger pressure. Acupressure is associated with numerous benefits when used during the perinatal period, such as preventing nausea and vomiting, reducing pain, inducing labour, aiding in breastmilk production, and decreasing anxiety throughout pregnancy, labour, and the postpartum period. This study sought to address a global gap in the literature regarding midwives’ knowledge and views on acupressure during the perinatal period. While previous literature has investigated acupressure’s effectiveness, there is limited understanding of midwives’ knowledge, specifically on acupressure and how they view and use this intervention in their midwifery practice.