Postpartum Fatigue, Maternity Blues
Conditions
Keywords
Back Massage, Cesarean Birth, Postpartum Fatigue, Maternity Blues, Postpartum Care, Nonpharmacological Intervention
Brief summary
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of back massage applied after elective cesarean birth on postpartum fatigue and maternity blues. Women were randomly assigned to either a back massage group or a control group. The intervention group received a 30-minute back massage after the first postoperative mobilization, while the control group received routine postpartum care only. Postpartum fatigue and maternity blues were assessed on the second postoperative day before discharge.
Detailed description
This study was conducted as a two-group, parallel, randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of back massage applied after elective cesarean birth on postpartum fatigue and maternity blues. The study included 80 women who underwent elective cesarean birth and met the eligibility criteria. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the back massage group or the control group. Women in the back massage group received routine postpartum care in addition to a 30-minute back massage. The massage was administered by the second author after the first mobilization at the sixth postoperative hour. Women in the control group received routine postpartum care only and did not receive any additional intervention. Postpartum fatigue and maternity blues were assessed on the second postoperative day before hospital discharge. Postpartum fatigue was evaluated using the Postnatal Accumulated Fatigue Scale, and maternity blues was assessed using the Maternity Blues Scale. Sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics were collected using a Participant Information Form developed by the researchers. The primary objective of the study was to determine whether back massage after elective cesarean birth reduces postpartum fatigue and maternity blues compared with routine postpartum care alone.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALBack Massage
Participants in the Back Massage Group received a 30-minute back massage in addition to routine postpartum care. The massage was administered after the first mobilization at the sixth postoperative hour following elective cesarean birth. The intervention was delivered by the second researcher. Participants continued to receive the hospital's standard postpartum care throughout the study.
Sponsors
Kocaeli University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE (Investigator)
Masking description
Due to the nature of the intervention, participants and the researcher who administered the back massage could not be blinded. Outcome assessments were performed by a third researcher who was blinded to group allocation.
Intervention model description
Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to one of two parallel groups: the back massage group or the control group. Participants in the back massage group received a 30-minute back massage in addition to routine postpartum care, while participants in the control group received routine postpartum care only.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 45 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Women who underwent elective cesarean birth * Women with a single healthy newborn * Women who did not have a negative response to massage or touch interventions * Women with intact skin and tissue integrity in the back area where the massage was applied
Exclusion criteria
* Women with communication problems * Women who underwent cesarean birth under general anesthesia * Women diagnosed during pregnancy or birth with complications such as oligohydramnios, preeclampsia, heart disease, diabetes, or placenta previa * Women who developed postpartum complications such as hemorrhage or hypertension * Women whose newborn required admission to the neonatal intensive care unit * Women who received additional analgesic or narcotic medication other than the routine postoperative analgesic treatment
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Postpartum Fatigue Assessed by the Postnatal Accumulated Fatigue Scale | 48 hours after cesarean birth | The Postnatal Accumulated Fatigue Scale consists of 13 items and three subscales. Total scores range from 0 to 39, with higher scores indicating greater postpartum fatigue. |
| Maternity Blues Assessed by the Maternity Blues Scale | 48 hours after cesarean birth | The Turkish version of the Maternity Blues Scale consists of 28 items and five subscales. Higher scores indicate higher levels of maternity blues. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Contacts
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORSena Dilek Aksoy, Ph.D.
Kocaeli University
Outcome results
None listed