The effects of aromatherapy on anxiety and sleep quality in maternal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to conduct a systematic review of the efficacy of aromatherapy in treating maternal anxiety and improving sleep quality during pregnancy and postpartum, thereby providing scientific evidence for clinical practice.
Methods: We searched databases including PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Embase from their inception to October 2025, identifying 13 eligible studies. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Meta-analysis was performed using Stata 15.0.
Results: Aromatherapy improved anxiety levels [SMD = -0.4, 95% CI (-0.68, -0.14), p = 0.002, I 2 = 63.8] and enhanced sleep quality [SMD = -0.59, 95% CI (-0.98, -0.21), p = 0.002, I 2 = 88.7]. Subgroup analysis revealed that prenatal aromatherapy effectively reduced anxiety [SMD = -0.75, 95% CI (-0.97, -0.52), p = 0.000, I 2 = 0] and improve sleep quality [SMD = -1.18, 95% CI (-2.08, -0.29), p = 0.000, I 2 = 90.6].
Conclusion: This meta-analysis demonstrates the positive effects of aromatherapy in improving maternal anxiety and sleep quality, and identifies effective intervention phases. However, due to the limited number of included studies, future research should incorporate more high-quality studies to further consolidate and validate the reliability of these findings.
Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, NO. 2025 CRD420251063171. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251063171.
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Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.
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