Labour Pain Management Pregnancy and Childbirth
Conditions
Interventions
Intervention: Massage group
The model is practised as follows: women attend a class at 35-37 weeks gestation with their chosen birth companion where the programme is introduced by the midwife/therapis
Sponsors
Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust (UK)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
Female
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: Eligible women will include all pregnant women booked for care in the study period except for listed exclusions.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Multiple pregnancy 2. Planned caesarean section 3. Medical problems that would preclude the use of massage techniques 4. Women who have previously used the massage programme 5. Women who have a strong preference for a particular form of pain relief 6. Women who do not speak fluent English 7. Women not intending to have a birth companion
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The primary outcome measure will be self-reported labour pain. The visual analogue scale (VAS), a simple, widely used measure validated for use to assess overall labour pain, within 48 hours of birth will be given to all participating women to complete before transfer from labour care. The scale will be given to women during the second hour following birth when hormonal interactions that begin immediately following birth initiate maternal-infant contact and pain from perineal trauma is usually absent. This is ethically and physiologically preferable to use during labour, or to use of the more complex and time-consuming Magill Pain Questionnaire, that is also validated for such research. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Other methods of pain relief, obstetric interventions, birth outcomes, cord blood levels of stress hormones and women's satisfaction and sense of control. | — |
Countries
United Kingdom
Outcome results
None listed