A comparison of the efficacy of olive oil, aloe vera extract and breast milk on healing breast fissure in the breastfeeding women.

Eshgizade, Maryam; Moghaddam, Mahdi Basiri; Moghaddam, Hossein Mohammadzadeh; Mahmodian, Aazam Sadat; Mesbah, Mina

Objectives: Breast fissure is a common problem in breastfeeding mothers causing premature discontinuation of breastfeeding. Given the high prevalence of breast fissure, as well as analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of olive oil and aloe vera, this study was performed to compare olive oil, aloe vera extract and breast milk in terms of lowering the intensity of pain and breast fissure in breast feeding mothers. Materials and Methods: This clinical trial was performed on 90 breastfeeding mothers with breast fissures. The participants were randomly divided into three groups of 30, in 2015. In the first group, mothers rubbed 0/5 ml of olive oil and in the second group the participants rubbed 0/5 ml of aloe vera extract on their nipple and areola three times a day. In addition, after each breastfeeding both groups rubbed 3-4 drops of milk on their nipple and areola. The third group, after each breastfeeding, rubbed 3-4 drops of milk on the nipple and areola. The visual analogue scale was used for determining the intensity of pain, and Store Scale was completed for evaluating the intensity of breast fissure on the first (before), third (during the intervention) and seventh days (at the end of the intervention). Data were analyzed performing ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and wilcoxon tests using SPSS, version 22. Results: The results demonstrated significant differences regarding intensity of pain and breast fissure in the three groups at the end of the intervention, and the aloe vera extract reduced the intensity of pain and breast fissure more than the other two. There was no significant difference between breast milk and olive oil. Moreover, within each group, intensity of pain and breast fissure was significantly different on the first and last days. Conclusion: Olive oil, aloe vera extract and breast milk could reduce the intensity of pain and breast fissure, but aloe vera extract was most effective one.

OLIVE oil; ALOE vera; BREAST diseases; THERAPEUTICS

Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, 2015, Vol 5, p86

2228-7930

Academic Journal