Delivery Pain and Postpartum Comfort

Kırklareli University120 enrolled

Overview

In this study was aimed that acupressure applied on the BL32 point and shower application reduced the intensity of labor pain experienced by the pregnant women in the active phase of labor and increased their postpartum comfort

Acupressure and shower are methods that can help reduce pain severity. This study thus aims to determine the effects of acupressure and shower on labour pain and postpartum comfort. This study was a randomized controlled trial (RCT). This study was the control group consisted of 40 pregnant women, while the experimental groups (acupressure and shower) consisted of 80 pregnant women in total. The experimental groups received routine labour care and either acupressure or showers upon reaching three cervical dilations (4-5, 6-7 and 8-10 cm). The control group only received routine labour care. A maternal information form (MIF), the Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VASP) and the Postpartum Comfort Questionnaire (PPCQ) were used to collect data. CONSORT checklist was used to report the current study.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

120

Conditions

Labor Pain Hydrotherapy Acupressure Postpartum Period

Interventions

AcupressureOTHER

A researcher sat behind the women to comfortably access the sacral area and be in the appropriate position. The researcher then applied deep rotational pressure on the BL32 points until her nail bed colour changed to prevent any discomfort in the participants

ShowerOTHER

During uterine contractions, these participants took a shower while standing, with a researcher on hand to assist her (average time: 20 minutes). The water's temperature was between 22°C and 26°C.

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 20 YearsMax age: 40 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * The inclusion criteria were being 20-40 years of age; * Having a foetus in vertex presentation * Having a foetus weighing 2.5-4 kg, as determined through ultrasonography * Being primiparous * Being between 37 and 42 gestational weeks with a single foetus * Having planned to have a spontaneous vaginal delivery * Not having used nonpharmacological pain control methods previously * Having a cervical dilation less than 5 cm (Dabiri et al., 2014) * Not having received analgesia or anaesthesia. Exclusion Criteria: * Were having a systemic disease during pregnancy (gestational diabetes, hypertension) * Taking medication regularly * Having a problem that prevented the woman from communicating * Undergoing psychiatric treatment (pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy) * Requiring an operative vaginal delivery (forceps, vacuum) * Receiving pharmacological interventions for labour pain.

Locations (1)

Medipol University

Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Reduce labor pain

The participants were applicated acupressure, and shower as for birth pain. Pain has been evaluated with VASP.

Time frame: Evaluation was done until delivery (on average between 8-12 hours)

Postpartum comfort levels

Postpartum comfort levels of the groups who received acupressure and shower in the postpartum period were evaluated.Postpartum comfort level has been evaluated with PPCQ.

Time frame: 2 hours after birth

A maternal information form

This form consisted of 13 items asking for the participants' sociodemographic characteristics

Time frame: before birth

Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VASP)

This scale is a 0-10 cm ruler developed by Bond and Pilowsky (Hawker et al., 2011; Aslan and Öztürk, 2014; Kömürcü and Ergin, 2014; Bond and Pilowsky, 1996). VASP is a 10 cm ruler which assessment with "no pain" at one end and "worst pain" at the other end. A Turkish validity and reliability study of the VASP was performed by Aslan and Öztürk (Aslan and Öztürk, 2014; Kömürcü and Ergin, 2014; Aslan, 2004).

Time frame: Evaluation was done until delivery (on average between 8-12 hours)

Postpartum Comfort Questionnaire (PPCQ)

The 48-item General Comfort Scale, developed by Kolcaba (Kolcaba, 1994), was first adapted into Turkish in 2008 by Kuğuoğlu and Karabacak, who also conducted a Turkish validity and reliability study on the scale (Kuğuoğlu and Karabacak, 2008). Based on the Turkish version of the GCS, Karakaplan and Yıldız (Karakaplan and Yıldız, 2010) developed the PPCQ. The PPCQ is a 5-point questionnaire with 34 items. Participants give items between 1 (strongly agree) and 5 points (strongly disagree). The lowest score possible is 34, and the highest score is 170, with higher scores indicating higher comfort levels.

Time frame: 2 hours after birth

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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