Practitioners' perspectives on acupuncture treatment for postpartum depression: A qualitative study

Acupuncture may become a treatment for postpartum depression (PPD). Currently, little is known about the use of acupuncture in the treatment of PPD from the point of view of practitioners. The aim of this study was to explore practitioners' perspectives on the treatment of PPD with acupuncture and provide suggestions for future improvement.

This study employed a qualitative descriptive method. Semistructured, open-ended interviews were conducted with 14 acupuncture practitioners from 7 hospitals via face-to-face or telephone interviews. The data were collected using interview outline from March to May 2022 and analysed using qualitative content analysis.

In general, the use of acupuncture for treating PPD was positively regarded by practitioners. They claimed that acupuncture is both safe and helpful for breastfeeding women who are experiencing emotional discomfort and that it can alleviate a variety of somatic symptoms. The following three themes were extracted: (a) patient acceptance and compliance; (b) acupuncture as a treatment for PPD; and (c) the advantages and drawbacks of acupuncture treatment.

Practitioners' optimistic outlooks demonstrated that acupuncture is a promising treatment option for PPD. However, the time cost was the most significant barrier to compliance. Future development will focus mostly on improving acupuncture equipment and the style of service.