View clinical trials related to Parturition.
Filter by:Although childbirth is seen as a natural, happy, meaningful and universal experience, women are often faced with severe pain, discomfort and a sensory state that can be overwhelming. There are two ways to reduce labour pain: pharmacological (drugs) and non-pharmacological (non-drug methods). Non-pharmacological methods, in particular, attempt to relieve pain by addressing emotional, cognitive, behavioural and socio-cultural dimensions. These methods provide relief and reduce the perception of pain. One of the non-pharmacological methods used to reduce labour pain is footbaths. Footbaths are widely used as a nurse/midwife intervention in many countries. Footbathing is a simple technique used to induce a sense of comfort and relaxation. It involves gently immersing the patient's legs and feet (below the knees) in a basin of warm water. Local heat treatments are generally safe and are considered an effective form of complementary medicine. In its simplest form it means "a tool to be part of supportive care, promoting peace, positive emotions, comfort, satisfaction and enjoyment". The mechanisms responsible for the effects of footbathing are not fully understood, but soaking the feet in warm water and stimulating the sense of touch through massage or washing can reduce sympathetic nerve activity, thereby reducing pain and increasing comfort. In other words, reducing pain during labour means providing support and comfort to the woman. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of a foot bath applied in the first stage of labour on labour pain and comfort in nulliparous women.
The rate of overweight and obese women becoming pregnant is increasing. Obesity in pregnancy along with delivery by cesarean section in obese women is associated with several complications as compared to normal weight women. The longer the woman is pregnant, the longer she is at risk. In an otherwise low-risk pregnant woman at term, it is an ongoing clinical dilemma, whether the benefits of elective induction of labor and termination of the pregnancy will outweigh the potential harms from concomitant induction and delivery process. The proposed study is a randomized controlled study of elective induction versus expectant management in obese women. The study will be carried out as a national multicenter study with inclusion of 1900 participants from Danish delivery wards. The null hypothesis is that the caesarean section rate is similar with elective induction of labor at 39 weeks of gestation, compared with expectant management among pregnant women with pre- or early pregnancy BMI≥30.
Aromatherapy is a form of complementary medicine that uses scented materials known as essential oils for the purpose of affecting a person's health or mood. Although aromatherapy has been used in childbirth for centuries, there are no high-quality studies examining whether the treatment works. Methodology We would like to see if aromatherapy affects a woman's experience of childbirth by lowering associated anxiety and pain. Consenting participants will be randomly allocated to one of these groups: 1. Aromatherapy oils (e.g. clary sage, peppermint, lavender, frankincense) 2. Non-essential oil (baby oil) 3. Standard maternity care We will gather primary data, e.g. if she's been in labour before and her awareness of complementary medicine. We will also conduct the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory with her, and provide her with the oil and swab if she is in groups 1 or 2 with instructions to keep the swab with the oil on it near to her. She can also put more oil on the swab as she requires. Postnatally, data will be collected from her notes regarding pain relief used, duration of labour, augmentation of labour, and any other medical interventions of note. We will also complete the anxiety scale with her once more. Before her discharge we ask the mother for any comments regarding her experience of the labour. The results from all three cohorts will then be compared. There will also be opportunity for the midwife to make any comments regarding his/her perception of the participant's labour. Finally we will hold a focus group with midwives regarding the practicalities for implementation of aromatherapy in maternity care