The effect of acupuncture on condition being studied emotional disorders in patients with postpartum: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: As one of the common postpartum diseases, postpartum emotional disorders (PEDs) mainly include postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, which significantly affect the patient's quality of life. Acupuncture has been widely used as a popular alternative complementary therapy for the treatment of PEDs. Nevertheless, its effectiveness and safety remain uncertain. Hence, the first systematic review and meta-analysis will be urgently executed to explore the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of PEDs. METHODS: Eight databases will be searched, including the PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Wanfang Database, and Technology Periodical Database. Only randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for PEDs will be considered. The languages are limited to English and Chinese. All publications were retrieved by 2 researchers independently. Assessment of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale will be dedicated as a primary outcome, and secondary outcomes include the Hamilton Anxiety Inventory, the Hamilton Depression Inventory, the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (sense of coherence 29-item scale), and adverse effects of acupuncture. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool will be used to assess the quality of the eligible publications. Additionally, the level of evidence for results will be evaluated by using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation method. All data will be analyzed statistically by using RevMan V.5.3 software. RESULTS: This study will provide a high level of the evidence-based basis for the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of PEDs. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study will assess the safety, efficacy, and adverse effects of acupuncture in the treatment of PEDs. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No ethical approval is required as patient data will not be collected. In addition, the results of this meta-analysis will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed scholarly journals or relevant academic conferences. REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY 2021120091.