Low-level laser therapy for nipple trauma and pain during breastfeeding: systematic review and meta-analysis

Maria Victória Candida Gaitero; Ticiana Aparecida Alves de Mira; Edna Jéssica Lima Gondim; Simony Lira do Nascimento; Fernanda Garanhani Surita

doi:10.61622/rbgo/2025rbgo3

Low-level laser therapy for nipple trauma and pain during breastfeeding: systematic review and meta-analysis

Gaitero MVC, de Mira TAA, Gondim EJL, do Nascimento SL, Surita FG

Revista brasileira de ginecologia e obstetricia : revista da Federacao Brasileira das Sociedades de Ginecologia e Obstetricia, 2025

DOI 10.61622/rbgo/2025rbgo3 PMID 40242016 PMC PMC12002722

RRM Academy Synopsis

Low-level laser showed no clear nipple pain relief in breastfeeding

A systematic review of three randomized trials in 193 breastfeeding women with nipple injury or pain found that low-level laser therapy did not significantly reduce nipple pain versus control groups. Pooling two trials gave an average difference of −0.60 points on a pain scale. The authors rated the evidence very low quality.

Key Findings

The search identified 107 articles. Three randomized clinical trials qualified, and all took place in Brazil.
Across the three trials, 193 women took part. Their ages ranged from 18 to 40 years.
A meta-analysis of two trials found an average pain VAS difference of −0.60 points (95% CI: −1.52 to 0.31) between LLLT and control groups, with I2=0%.
Curan et al. found a decrease in lesion area size in the LLLT group (p=.042). Camargo et al. found tingling more frequent with the laser than in controls (p=.032).
The authors graded the evidence as very low quality, citing severe concerns about bias, inconsistency, indirectness, and imprecision.

Interpretation

The review is a systematic review with a meta-analysis, which combines several trials into one estimate. It includes three randomized trials of red laser in 193 breastfeeding women with nipple injury or pain. Two trials could be pooled, and the pooled result showed no difference in pain relief between laser and control groups. The authors note that the pooled results reflect a single laser irradiation.

RRM Context

Breastfeeding is part of postpartum life, a stage that restorative reproductive medicine follows. Worldwide, 44% of children are exclusively breastfed for six months, the span the World Health Organization recommends. The paper links nipple pain to early weaning. The authors call for more comprehensive and methodologically consistent research.

Our editorial summary of this paper, not the article's abstract.

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on nipple trauma and pain during breastfeeding through a systematic review with a meta-analysis of selected studies. SOURCE OF THE DATA: A thorough search was conducted on March 22, 2022, using the databases PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, PEDro, CINAHL, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials, Web of Science, TRIP, DARE, and ProQuest. The search terms included various combinations of low-level laser therapy, nipple pain, nipple trauma, and breastfeeding. STUDIES SELECTION: Out of 107 articles identified, only three controlled and randomized clinical trials was included. The extracted data encompassed breast and trauma characteristics, treatment types, outcomes (pain and healing process), evaluation tools, LLLT usage, laser brand, and parameters.

Data Collection

Data extraction was performed using RAYYAN for systematic reviews. The risk of bias in the studies was evaluated.

Data Synthesis

Pain was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS). The included studies did not use validated tools for assessing physical conditions. All studies employed LLLT with a 660-nm wavelength, though there were variations in equipment power, energy dose, and application methods. The meta-analysis revealed an average difference of -0.60 points (95% CI: -1.52 to 0.31) in the VAS pain scores between the LLLT and control groups. No heterogeneity was observed among the studies (I2=0%), indicating no significant difference in pain relief between LLLT (red light) and control groups.

Conclusion

LLLT may offer a promising option for managing breastfeeding-related complications, though further research is required.

Topics

Therapeutics › Emerging Therapies › Light Therapy · Postpartum › Infant Feeding › Breastfeeding Support · General Gynecology › Breast Health › Benign Breast Conditions

Maria Victória Candida Gaitero, Ticiana Aparecida Alves de Mira, Edna Jéssica Lima Gondim, Simony Lira do Nascimento, Fernanda Garanhani Surita

M Gaitero, T Mira, E Gondim, S Nascimento, F Surita

PMID 40242016 40242016 DOI 10.61622/rbgo/2025rbgo3 10.61622/rbgo/2025rbgo3 Gaitero et al. 2025, Gaitero 2025

Low-level laser therapy for nipple trauma and pain during breastfeeding: systematic review and meta-analysis

Low-level laser showed no clear nipple pain relief in breastfeeding

Key Findings

Interpretation

RRM Context

Abstract

Topics

Related research

Low-level laser therapy improves pain in postcesarean section: a randomized clinical trial

Effects of 660-nm Photobiomodulation Therapy on Pain and Healing of Nipple Trauma in Lactating Women: A Pilot Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial

Could Photobiomodulation help lactating women and their newborns?

Low level laser therapy (Photobiomodulation therapy) for breast cancer-related lymphedema: a systematic review