Effect of Breast Oketani-Massage on the Severity of Breast engorgement

Breast engorgement is a common problem after delivery, which is considered as the third influential maternal factor on stopping the breastfeeding; it is possibly due to creating mastitis and breast abscess and reducing or stopping breastfeeding following breast engorgement. This study was performed with aim to determine the effect of breast oketani massage on the severity of breast engorgement.
This clinical trial was performed on 94 lactating women who were suffering from breast engorgement within the first to fifth days after delivery referred tothe obstetrics clinic and gynecology department of Imam Reza Hospital in 2016. The subjects were divided into two groups of oketani massage and routine care. Severity of engorgement was determined by engorgement severity standard index. Both groups received two treatments on two consecutive days. The collected data regarding the severity of engorgement before and after the intervention were analyzed by SPSS software (Version 20) and Mann-Whitney, paired-t, independent t, Chi-square, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with repeated measurements. P The mean of engorgement severity after intervention in right and left breast was decreased in oketani massage group and control group. However, there was a significant difference between two groups in terms of mean severity of engorgement in both breasts, so that the reduction in the severity of breast engorgement was significantly higher in the oketani group than the control group (P Breast oketani-massage compared to routine care quickly and more efficiently reduces the severity of breast engorgement after delivery.