Randomized trial to assess **electrical-acupuncture** or **TENS** for early postpartum breast engorgement

Breast engorgement is a common and painful condition affecting postpartum women, typically occurring 2-5 days after birth as milk production increases. It can lead to significant maternal discomfort, impede successful breastfeeding, and potentially contribute to early cessation of lactation. Current routine care often involves symptomatic relief, but effective, non-pharmacological interventions are needed to complement these approaches. Electrical-acupuncture (EA) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) are neuromodulatory techniques known for their analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, making them promising candidates for alleviating engorgement symptoms and supporting lactation. This study aims to explore their potential as add-on therapies.

This randomized controlled trial will recruit 36 postpartum women within 7 days of delivery, all experiencing significant breast engorgement, from China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. Participants will be randomly assigned into three equal groups (n=12 each). The control arm will receive routine care. The first experimental group will receive routine care plus electrical-acupuncture (EA), and the second experimental group will receive routine care plus transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). The specific parameters for EA and TENS application (e.g., frequency, intensity, duration, electrode placement) are not detailed in this abstract, but the study aims to assess their add-on effectiveness.

The provided abstract outlines a study protocol and does not present any results or findings. It details the methodology for a randomized controlled trial designed to investigate the add-on effectiveness of electrical-acupuncture or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for early postpartum breast engorgement. Consequently, no specific numerical data, statistical significances, or observed effects on engorgement relief, pain reduction, or breastfeeding outcomes are available from this abstract. The study aims to gather such data upon completion, comparing the outcomes across the routine care, EA, and TENS groups.