Aromatherapy for managing menopausal symptoms: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• Women's Health
• Menopause Management

Background:

• Aromatherapy is frequently utilized as a complementary therapy in women's health.
• Menopausal symptoms significantly impact women's quality of life.
• This review focuses on the efficacy of aromatherapy for managing these symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and evaluate the therapeutic effects of aromatherapy for managing menopausal symptoms.
• To synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on aromatherapy's effectiveness.
• To provide evidence-based conclusions on aromatherapy as an intervention for menopausal women.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive search of eleven electronic databases will be conducted from inception to February 2018.
• Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving aromatherapy for menopausal symptoms will be included.
• Methodological quality will be assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, with independent data extraction by two authors.

Main Results:

• The review will synthesize high-quality evidence on aromatherapy's effects on menopausal symptoms.
• Symptom severity will be measured using validated questionnaires such as the Menopause Rating Scale, Kupperman Index, and Greene Climacteric Scale.
• The synthesis will provide a quantitative and qualitative overview of the current evidence.

Conclusions:

• The systematic review will conclude whether aromatherapy is an effective intervention for women experiencing menopausal symptoms.
• Findings will inform clinical practice and patient decision-making regarding complementary therapies for menopause.
• This review aims to contribute robust evidence to the field of women's reproductive health.