The Effects of Aromatherapy on Premenstrual Syndrome Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

Somayeh Es-Haghee, Fatemeh Shabani, Jessie Hawkins, Mohammad Ali Zareian, Fatemeh Nejatbakhsh, Marzieh Qaraaty, Malihe Tabarrai, Somayeh Es-Haghee, Fatemeh Shabani, Jessie Hawkins, Mohammad Ali Zareian, Fatemeh Nejatbakhsh, Marzieh Qaraaty, Malihe Tabarrai

Abstract

ObjectivesPremenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common disturbance among women of childbearing age. Aromatherapy is a commonly used form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to treat PMS. The purpose of this study is to quantify and summarize the effects of aromatherapy on premenstrual syndrome symptoms. Methods. PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were searched through relevant search terms until October 2020. The effect sizes were pooled as weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) using the random effect model. Egger tests and visual inspection of the funnel plot were performed to identify the existence of publication bias. The I-squared (I 2) test was applied to measure heterogeneity. Results. Eight studies (n = 8) were included in this analysis. The quantitative synthesis of evidence found that aromatherapy decreases PMS scores (WMD -13.83; 95% CI (-22.04, -5.63), I 2 = 94.5%), total psychological symptoms of PMS (WMD -3.51; 95% CI (-4.84, -2.18), I 2 = 82.6%), anxiety of PMS (WMD-1.78; 95% CI (-3.17, -0.38), I 2 = 94.2%), depression of PMS (WMD-2.0; 95% CI (-3.65, -0.34), I 2 = 93.7%), and fatigue of PMS (WMD - 1.44; 95% CI (-2.44, -0.44), I 2 = 89.7%) compared to the control group. Conclusion. Aromatherapy is an effective tool for the relief of PMS symptoms. Additional randomized controlled clinical trials with different durations and essential oils should be conducted to confirm our findings.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Copyright © 2020 Somayeh Es-haghee et al.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of study selection.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plot showing the effects of aromatherapy on psychological symptoms of PMS (WMDs and 95% CIs) in women with PMS using the random effects model. CI, confidence interval; PMS, premenstrual syndrome; WMD, weighted mean difference.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plot showing the effects of aromatherapy on physical symptoms of PMS (WMDs and 95% CIs) in women with PMS using the random effects model. CI, confidence interval; PMS, premenstrual syndrome; WMD, weighted mean difference.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Forest plot showing the effects of aromatherapy on total score of PMS (WMDs and 95% CIs) in women with PMS using the random effects model. CI, confidence interval; PMS, premenstrual syndrome; WMD, weighted mean difference.

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Source: PubMed

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