Research Article

Scientific Knowledge Graph of Acupressure/ Acupuncture for Labor Pain Management: A Bibliometric Analysis from 2002 to 2023

Abstract

Background: Childbirth pain is a subjective experience that often leads to heightened anxiety and fear among expectant mothers. These emotional responses can influence some women to avoid vaginal birth, thereby contributing to the increasing rates of cesarean sections. As a result, there is growing interest in non-pharmacological pain management strategies, such as acupressure and acupuncture, which aim to reduce labor pain and promote normal vaginal delivery. This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of publications related to the use of acupressure and acupuncture for labor pain management, indexed in the Web of Science (WOS) database between 2002 and 2023. Methods: We retrieved 42 relevant publications from the WOS database, covering the period from January 2002 to December 2023. Thirteen articles were excluded based on predefined criteria. The bibliographic information collected included details on countries, authors, journals, institutions, and keywords. Data analysis and visualization were performed using VOSviewer (version 1.6.19) and the Biblioshiny program. Results: This bibliometric analysis includes 42 articles addressing the effects of acupuncture and acupressure on labor pain, comprising 32 original research articles (76.19%) and 10 review articles (23.81%). The journals with the highest number of publications in this area were Complementary Therapies in Medicine, Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, and Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care. The countries with the most publications were Iran, China, and Türkiye. Among the institutions, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences was the most productive, contributing nine articles over the past two decades. Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric overview of research on acupressure and acupuncture for labor pain management. Over the past twenty years, this topic has garnered significant attention from researchers worldwide. The findings highlight the importance of continued research and encourage future studies and international collaborations to further explore and validate the efficacy of these non-pharmacological interventions in labor pain management.

Author's Information:

Nurdan Kaya Yilmaz (ORCID), Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey.
Nermin Altunbaş (ORCID), Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing 58140, Sivas, Turkey.

How to Cite: N.K. Yilmaz, N. Altunbaş. Scientific Knowledge Graph of Acupressure/ Acupuncture for Labor Pain Management: A Bibliometric Analysis from 2002 to 2023. Journal of Applied Health Sciences and Medicine, 5(7): 10– 17, 2025. https://doi.org/10.58614/jahsm572