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Effect of Therapeutic Touch on Labor Pain and Hormone Levels

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Therapeutic Touch
Childbirth
Interventions
Other: Therapeutic Touch focused on sacral region
Registration Number
NCT05179915
Lead Sponsor
Cukurova University
Brief Summary

This study was conducted to determine the effect of sacral region-focused therapeutic touch applied during the latent phase of labour on hormone levels, labour comfort, and perception.

A randomized sham controlled trial design was used in the study, which was conducted with 50 primiparous pregnant women. While Therapeutic Touch (25) focused on sacral region was applied in the intervention group, Sham Therapeutic Touch (25) was applied in the control group. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Visual Analogue Scale, a Hormone Values Follow-up Form, the Childbirth Comfort Questionnaire and the Perception of Birth Scale.

Keywords: Labor Pain,Therapeutic Touch, Childbirth, Hormones

Detailed Description

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the effect of sacral region-focused therapeutic touch applied during the latent phase of labour on hormone levels, labour comfort, and perception.

Method: This randomised sham controlled experimental trial was conducted with two groups (intervention and control groups) in a state hospital between 08 March 2022 and 01 April 2023. The sample size of the study was calculated using the G\*power 3.1.9.6 programme. As a result of the calculation, twenty-five pregnant women for each group were included in the study. While Therapeutic Touch (TT) focused on sacral region was applied in the intervention group, Sham Therapeutic Touch (STT) was applied in the control group. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), a Hormone Values Follow-up Form, the Childbirth Comfort Questionnaire (CCQ) and the Perception of Birth Scale (PBS). IBM SPSS V25 programme was used for statistical analysis of the study. The statistical significance was assessed at the level of p\<0.05.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
50
Inclusion Criteria
  • Being primipara,
  • Having a gestational age of 38-42 weeks,
  • Planning to have a normal vaginal delivery,
  • Having a 3-4 cm dilation in the latent phase,
  • Having a single fetus and head presentation,
  • Speaking and communicating in Turkish,
  • Agreeing to participate in the study,
  • Having no high-risk pregnancy.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Receiving induction,
  • Receiving labor analgesia/anesthesia,
  • Having sensitivity or problems with touch,
  • Having to leave during the intervention due to some reasons such as medical procedures, etc.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Experimental GroupTherapeutic Touch focused on sacral regionThe experimental group will be administered 15-minute therapeutic touch focused on sacral region the latent phase and after it finishes, the participating pregnant woman will be asked to rest for 30 minutes.
Placebo GroupTherapeutic Touch focused on sacral regionAfter the mimic (sham) therapeutic touch focused on sacral region , the pregnant woman will be asked to rest for 30 minutes.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)VAS were evaluated after application 30 minutes in each groups.

VAS is a one-dimensional scale that objectively assesses pregnant woman's perception of pain. VAS is a 100 mm scale (10-cm) that represents lack of pain (0=no pain) on one end and worst possible pain (10=severe pain) on the other end; the scale is used to determine the severity of pain quantitatively. The patient marks any point between the two ends that describe his/her pain severity. The point between lack of pain and the point indicated by the patient is measured using a ruler and recorded as cm. These numeric values indicate the pregnant woman's pain severity.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
The Perception of Birth Scale (PBS)PBS were evaluated after delivery in each groups.

MPLS PBS,is a measurement tool that assesses how mothers perceive their experiences in normal delivery or planned cesarean sections. The sub-scales of the scale include experiences during labor (7 items: 3, 5, 6, 8, 15, 17, 18), experiences during the pain phase of labor (7 items; 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 16), end of labor (4 items: 22, 23, 24, 25), partner involvement (4 items; 11,12,20,21), and awareness (3 items; 13,14,19). Each item in the MPLS is rated between 1 and 5: 1-Never, 2-A little, 3-Moderate, 4-A lot, and 5-Too much. Since Items 15-16-17-18-19 in the scale include negative statements, these items are scored reversely. Cronbach's alpha value of the scale was 0.90, and the alpha values obtained using two half-test methods were found 0.83 and 0.81.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Cukurova University

🇹🇷

Adana, Sarıcam, Turkey

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