Comparing the Effect of Foot Trigger Reflexology withAromatherapy on Anxiety, Pain and Consequences of LaborPregnancy in Women: a Randomized Controlled Trial Study

Background: Reducing labor pain is known to be a challenging topic in modernmidwifery. To reduce this pain, complementary medicine methods have attracted a great deal ofattention. The present study aimed to compare the effect of reflexology of sole with non-aromaticoil (Olive) and aromatic oil (Lavender) on reducing labor pain and anxiety. Method: This multiarmconsecutive randomized controlled trial study of reflexology with non-aromatic oil andaromatic oil was carried out in ۲۰۲۰ on ۹۹ primigravid mothers. They were divided into one controland two intervention groups, selected through random allocation. The data related to the mothers’pain and anxiety were collected via the Pain Visual Scale and Spielberger three times, once beforeand twice after the intervention at ۴-۵ and ۷-۸ cm dilation. The demographic characteristics, laborduration, and APGAR score were also recorded. Through the use of the SPSS software version ۱۶,parametric and non-parametric statistical tests, including paired and independent t-test, x² andANCOVA, were utilized for analyzing the data. Result: In the ۹۹ participants with an average ageof ۲۵.۹۸±۵.۸۰, there were no significant differences in terms of age (P=۰.۶۹۹), education level(P=۰.۵۰۴), or occupation (P=۰.۱۴۰). Additionally, no significant difference was seen in theduration of labor (P=۰.۱۹۴) and the APGAR score (P=۰.۰۶۶). According to the intergroup analysisof pain results in both stages of ۴-۵ cm and ۷ -۸ cm after the intervention, the aromatic oil grouphad a significant difference in terms of pain reduction with the other two groups (P˂۰.۰۰۱,P=۰.۰۰۷, respectively). Although there was no significant statistical difference in the intergroupanalysis, the increase in the rate of anxiety was significant in control group in different stages(P=۰.۰۰۲) while this factor remained fixed in the intervention groups. Conclusions: Thereflexology with aromatic oil was found to be more effective than that with non-aromatic oil.Furthermore, the pain rate at the time of labor reduced in the intervention groups compared to thatin the control group.

کلیدواژه ها:

Reflexology ، Aromatherapy ، Labor pain