Effects of Abdominal Breathing on State Anxiety, Stress, and Tocolytic Dosage for Pregnant Women in Preterm Labor

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of abdominal breathing on state anxiety, stress and tocolytic dosage for pregnant women in preterm labor. METHODS: The participants were 60 pregnant women in preterm labor who were hospitalized from April to July, 2009. Thirty participants were assigned to the experimental group and 30 to the control group. None of them had any other complications except preterm labor. The modified Mason's breathing technique was used with the experimental group 3 times a day for 3 days. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire and chart review, and analyzed with the SPSS 13.0 WIN program. RESULTS: "State anxiety of the experimental group will be lower than that of the control group" was supported. "Stress of the experimental group will be lower than that of the control group" was supported. "The Ritodrine dosage for the experimental group will be lower than that of the control group" was supported. "The Atosiban dosage for the experimental group will be lower than that of the control group" was supported. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that abdominal breathing is an effective nursing intervention for pregnant women in preterm labor.

Systematic Evaluation in Hospitalization in Mildly Preeclamptic Women whose Placental Dysfunction was Exacerbated / 대한주산의학회잡지

OBJECTIVES: To compare the systematic evaluations in hospitalization of mildly preeclamptic women whose placental dysfunction was exacerbated with those whose placental dysfunction was not exacerbated. METHODS: There were seventy six mildly preeclamptic women after systematic evaluations in hospitalization, in which twenty eight women showed exacerbated placental dysfunction. Outcome markers considered suggestive of exacerbation of placental dysfunction included oligohydramnios (amniotic fluid index less than 5 cm), clinical diagnosis of intrapartum fetal distress and progression to severe preeclampsia. A clinical diagnosis of fetal distress was made when the monitoring revealed recurrent late, persistent tachycardia with loss of variability or prolonged decelerations. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the amount of 24 hours urine protein, the concentrations in serum protein, creatinine, aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase and hematocrit. But in exacerbated group, the concentrations of serum albumin and urine creatinine and creatinine clearance were significantly lower and the concentrations of serum uric acid and lactate dehydrogenase were significantly higher than not exacerbated group. CONCLUSION: In mildly preeclamptic women diagnosed after systematic evaluation in hospitalization, we must give attention to those whose concentrations of serum albumin and urine creatinine and creatinine clearance are low and concentrations of serum uric acid and lactate dehydrogenase are high.