effect of two rhythmic breathing [cleansing and light breathing] on labor pains for primiparous women during the first-stage of labor

ABSTRACT

Rhythmic breathing is one way the women cope with labor. Labor Pains is frequently reported symptoms over witch women and caregiver had little control. This study research was utilized to examine the effect of cleansing breathing compared with light breathing, on labor pains during the active phase of the first stage of labor. Research design was a prospective quasi-experimental trial. Setting was labor ward of El-shatby maternity university hospital with a uniform active labor management. Participants' were 50 women primiparae, low risk women, at term, in true spontaneous labor, and have single viable fetus. 25 women had a cleansing breath -as a control group-. And 25 women had a light breathing -as a study group-. Labor pain [assessed by means of a visual analogue scale] [VAS] and cervical dilatation assessed in centimeter. The main study results were annoying pain was mentioned by 24% of the control group before demonstrating cleansing breathing compared to 52% after intervention. While, 12% of the study group mentioned annoying pain before and after the light breathing. On the other side agonizing pain was stated by 4% of the control group compared to one fifth [20%] of the study group before using the rhythmic breathing compared to none in both groups after practicing the breathing There was a highly significant difference between both the cleansing breathing group and the light breathing group in relation to mean VAS after using the rhythmic breathing were P = 0.000. From this research the researcher concluded that, labor pains can be greatly minimized with any of the two rhythmic breathing management techniques in respect to cervical dilatation. The researcher recommended that further researches are necessary to identify the effect of various non-pharmacological pain relieve methods on labor pains and its relation to maternal perception about these methods: