Effects of San-Yin-Jiao (SP6) Acupressure on Anxiety, Pulse and Neonatal Status in Women during Labor / 여성건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: In the study effects of San-Yin-Jiao (SP6) acupressure on anxiety and pulse during labor, and on neonatal status were examined. METHOD: The design was a randomized controlled clinical trial with a double-blind method. Data were collected before (pre) and after (post) treatment using structured questionnaire, anxiety scale, pulse rate, umbilical vein pH and Apgar scores. The experimental group received SP6 acupressure for the duration of each uterine contraction over a period of 30 minutes, but the control group received SP6 touch. RESULTS: The anxiety scores between the two groups increased, but the increase was less in the SP6 acupressure group and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.019). Maternal pulse rate was not significantly different immediately after treatment (p=0.711), at 30 and at 60 minutes (p=0.140; p=0.108), but while the SP6 acupressure group had a stable pulse, the SP6 touch group showed an increased rate. There was no significant difference between the two groups for umbilical vein pH (p=0.124), and neonatal Apgar score at one and five minutes (p=0.387; p=0.979) CONCLUSION: These findings strengthen the belief that SP-6 acupressure can be used to relieve anxiety during labor with no side effects to either mother or baby.

Effects of Aromatherapy on Labor Process, Labor Pain, Labor Stress Response and Neonatal Status of Primipara: Randomized Clinical Trial / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: To relieve stress and pain during labor is most important issue in obstetrical care. The purposes of this study were to verify the effects of aromatherapy on labor process, labor pain, labor stress response and neonatal status of primipara. METHODS: This study was a randomized, repeated measures over time, pretest-posttest design. The subjects were forty eight primipara with single gestation, full term, uncomplicated pregnancies. As the treatment, the experimental group took an aromatherapy massage with aromatherapy oil (1.5% dilution essential oil of clary sage, geranium, jasmine, and rose) on the back at every two hours. The control group took general obstetric care. Baseline data including general and obstetric characteristics, plasma beta-endorphin, serum cortisol were obtained at the onset of labor. As resulting variables, length of labor, use of oxytocin, labor pain, use of analgesics, plasma beta-endorphin, serum cortisol, pulse rate, blood pressure, umbilical cord arterial blood pH, Apgar score were measured. Collecting Data were analyzed by t-test, x2 test, repeated measures of ANOVA with SPSS program. RESULTS: As a results, the length of decerelation phase of the experimental group was significantly shorter than the control group. No significant group effects were found, but significant time effects were found for labor pain, plasma beta-endorphin, serum cortisol, pulse rate and blood pressure. There were no significant differences in other variables between two groups. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that aromatherapy during labor could be effective in decreasing labor length. But, any other effects of aromatherapy did not be verified.