Effects of Full Body Massage on Labor Pain and Delivery Stress Reaction for Primipara during Labor

Lee, Kun Ja; Chang, Chun ja; Jo, Hyun Sook

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was to test the effects of a full body massage on labor pain and delivery stress reaction for primipara during labor. METHOD: This study employed a quasi- experimental method(nonequivalent control group, pre-post test design). The subjects of this study were 57 primipara hospitalized at the U OB & GYN hospital in Inchon from November 1. 2001 to July 31, 2002. 28 women were assigned to the experimental group and 29 to the control group. The experimental group was given 20 minutes full body massage for each of three delivery phases. The control group was given conventional delivery care. The levels of labor pain were measured by the Visual Analogue Scale and the expression scores of the labor pain and the levels of delivery stress reaction were measured by pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure, and State-Anxiety Scale. Data were analyzed using the repeated measures analysis of covariance(ANCOVA), t-test, X(2)- test, simple ANCOVA with SPSS program. RESULT: There was no interaction effect between time and group(F=.370, p=.693), but significant time effects were found for subjective labor pain(F=3.840, p=.028). There was no interaction effect between time and group(F=.112, p=.894), but significant group effects were found for objective labor pain(F=12.299, p=.001). There was no interaction effect between time and group for PR(F=.172, p=.843), RR(F=.626, p=.539), SBP(F=.089, p=.915), DBP(F=.748, p=.479), but significant group effects were found for SBP(F=7.547, p=.008). The level of status anxiety of the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group(F=11.787, p=.001).
CONCLUSION
This study showed that the full body massage has partially positive effect on labor pain and delivery stress reaction. Therefore this study suggested that the full body massage might be used clinically to help primipara during labor.