Evidências científicas sobre métodos não farmacológicos para alívio a dor do parto

Complementary and Integrative Health Practices in a Brazilian Freestanding Birth Center: A Cross-Sectional Study

The study aimed to analyze the use of complementary and integrative health practices (CIHPs) during labor and birth in a freestanding birth center. A total of 28 different CIHPs were applied with or used by laboring women. The most adopted CIHPs were mind-body practices (99.9%) and natural products (35.5%), mostly used by primiparous women ( P <.05). Adopting CIHPs can increase care quality, increase positive experiences during childbirth, and promote evidence-based choices.

Implementation and evaluation of the WHO maternity care model: a convergent parallel mixed-methods study protocol

Background

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), intrapartum care is considered a platform for providing respectful, personalized, and women-centered services to women. This study aims to investigate the intrapartum care model proposed by WHO.

Methods

This convergent parallel mixed-methods study will be carried out in qualitative and quantitative phases. In the quantitative phase (a quasi-experimental study), 108 pregnant women admitted to the maternity ward will be randomized to intervention (receiving intrapartum care based on the WHO model) and control group (receiving routine hospital care) before the beginning of the active stage of labor (cervix dilatation equal to 5 cm) and Wijma's delivery fear scale (DFS) will be completed for them and again at 7-8 cm dilatation. The participants of both groups will be followed up for 6 weeks after labor and then they will be invited to a relatively quiet place to complete the Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (CEQ 2.0), the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptom Scale (PSS-I), the Pregnancy and Childbirth Questionnaire (PCQ), exclusive breastfeeding and a checklist on willingness to give birth to another child. The qualitative phase will employ content analysis to explain mothers' views about the effects of this model especially subjective components of this model on their labor process after 4-6 weeks. The two phase's results will be discussed in combination.

Discussion

The implementation of such care models is expected to prevent mental disorders caused by negative experiences of childbirth, and also, prevent uncontrolled increases in cesarean sections.

Clinical Trial Registration

https://fa.irct.ir/user/trial/68313/view, identifier (IRCT20120718010324N69).

Effect of implementation of the WHO intrapartum care model on maternal and neonatal outcomes: a randomized control trial

BACKGROUND

In 2018, the World Health Organization published a set of recommendations for further emphasis on the quality of intrapartum care to improve the childbirth experience. This study aimed to determine the effects of the WHO intrapartum care model on the childbirth experience, fear of childbirth, the quality of intrapartum care (primary outcomes), as well as post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, postpartum depression, the duration of childbirth stages, the frequency of vaginal childbirth, Apgar score less than 7, desire for subsequent childbearing, and exclusive breastfeeding in the 4 to 6 weeks postpartum period (secondary outcomes).

METHODS

This study was a randomized controlled trial involving 108 pregnant women admitted to the maternity units of Al-Zahra and Taleghani hospitals in Tabriz-Iran. Participants were allocated to either the intervention group, which received care according to the ' 'intrapartum care model, or the control group, which received the' 'hospital's routine care, using the blocked randomization method. A Partograph chart was drawn for each participant during pregnancy. A delivery fear scale was completed by all participants both before the beginning of the active phase (pre-intervention) and during 7 to 8 cm dilation (post-intervention). Participants in both groups were followed up for 4 to 6 weeks after childbirth and were asked to complete questionnaires on childbirth experience, postpartum depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, as well as the pregnancy and childbirth questionnaire and checklists on the desire to have children again and exclusive breastfeeding. The data were analyzed using independent T and Mann-Whitney U tests and analysis of covariance ANCOVA with adjustments for the parity variable and the baseline scores or childbirth fear.

RESULTS

The average score for the childbirth experience total was notably higher in the intervention group (Adjusted Mean Difference (AMD) (95% Confidence Interval (CI)): 7.0 (0.6 to 0.8), p < 0.001). Similarly, the intrapartum care quality score exhibited a significant increase in the intervention group (AMD (95% CI): 7.0 (4.0 to 10), p < 0.001). Furthermore, the post-intervention fear of childbirth score demonstrated a substantial decrease in the intervention group (AMD (95% CI): -16.0 (-22.0 to -10.0), p < 0.001). No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of mean scores for depression, PTSD symptoms, duration of childbirth stages, frequency of vaginal childbirth, Apgar score less than 7, and exclusive breastfeeding in the 4 to 6 weeks postpartum (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The intrapartum care model endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) has demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing childbirth experiences and increasing maternal satisfaction with the quality of obstetric care. Additionally, it contributes to the reduction of fear associated with labor and childbirth. Future research endeavors should explore strategies to prioritize and integrate respectful, high-quality care during labor and childbirth alongside clinical measures.

Effects of Multi-Mechanism Complementary Therapy on Pain and Anxiety During Labor Latency in Primiparous Women

Objective: Evaluate the efficacy of single and mixed complementary therapies, with different analgesic mechanisms, in relieving pain and anxiety during the late labor period. Design and method: In this study, 145 primiparous women with 2-3 cm dilation of the cervix were randomly assigned to one of five groups: control group (psychological comfort), comprehensive group, aroma group, auricular acupuncture group, and music group. The groups were distributed equally (1:1:1:1 ratio), and pain and anxiety scores were assessed at 30, 60, and 120 minutes post-intervention in each group. Outcomes and measures: Compared to the control group, all intervention groups showed lower pain scores. The comprehensive group had the largest reduction in pain scores at 30, 60, and 120 minutes post-intervention. The auricular point, aroma, and music groups also demonstrated significant reductions in pain scores at different time points. Only the comprehensive group had a statistically significant reduction in anxiety at 30 minutes post-intervention compared to the control group. However, at 60 and 120 minutes post-intervention, all intervention groups showed lower anxiety scores compared to the control group. Conclusion: The optimal effects of each therapy varied in terms of timing and duration. Combination therapy showed a greater effect size than single complementary therapy.

Effects of Virtual Reality Interventions on the Parameters of Normal Labor: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. A Meta-Analysis of Virtual Reality Interventions on the Parameters of Normal Labor

BACKGROUND

Clinical and experimental studies on virtual reality have shown that this easy-to-use and non-invasive method is a safe and effective strategy during normal labor.

AIM

This study aims to analyze the effects of virtual reality (VR) interventions on some of the parameters of normal labor.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHOD

Higher Education Council National Thesis Center, Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials that administered VR to the intervention group but not to the control group and were published through January 2022. RevMan software was used to analyze the meta-analysis data. Pain, anxiety, satisfaction, and the duration of the first and second stages of labor were assessed as outcomes of normal labor.

RESULTS

Seven randomized controlled trials, with a total of 756 women in total, met the inclusion criteria. Virtual reality interventions significantly reduced pain scores when cervical dilatation was ≤4 cm (MD = -0.43, 95% expansion here (CI [-0.65, -0.21], p < .001) and ≥9 cm (SMD = -1.91, 95% CI [-2.56, -1.26], p < .001). Anxiety scores significantly decreased (SMD = -1.08, 95% CI [-1.75, 0.41], p < .001), and childbirth satisfaction significantly increased (MD = 11.24, 95% CI [2.17, 20.30], p < .001) in the VR intervention groups. Finally, when compared to the control groups, the duration of the first stage of labor (SMD = -0.53, 95% CI [-0.83, -0.22], p < .01) and the second stage of labor (MD = -0.39, 95% CI [-0.76, -0.02], p = .001) were significantly decreased in the VR intervention groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Virtual reality interventions are effective methods to reduce pain, anxiety, and the duration of the first and second stages of labor and to increase satisfaction with normal labor.

The use of hydrotherapy in the first stage of labour: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

To explore the effect of hydrotherapy applied in the first stage of labour on the health of mother and newborn.

METHODS

This systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out by following PRISMA. The studies were obtained by scanning EBSCO, PubMed, Science Direct, Ovid, Web of Science and Scopus electronic databases. Twenty studies published between 2013 and 2023 were included.

RESULTS

The total sample size of the studies was 8254 (hydrotherapy: 2953, control: 5301). Meta-analyses showed that the perception of pain decreased, comfort level and vaginal birth rate were higher and assisted vaginal birth rate and APGAR scores in the first minute were lower in women who underwent hydrotherapy. There was no difference between groups in terms of the duration of the first and second stage of labour, episiotomy, perineal trauma, intrapartum and postpartum bleeding amounts, use of pain medication and labour augmentations, APGAR scores in the fifth minute, positive neonatal bacterial culture and neonatal intensive care unit need.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that the results that hydrotherapy decreased the perception of pain and assisted birth, increased the rate of vaginal birth and comfort level and did not adversely affect the health of the mother and baby during the birth process.

A Pharmacotherapeutic Approaches for Managing Labour Pain Using Synthetic Drugs and Natural Therapies

The birth of a child is a critical and potentially traumatic experience for women, entailing multiple physiological and psychosocial changes. The psychological effects of childbirth pain can have both immediate and long-term effects on the mother's health and her bond with her child. Many studies investigated the different ranges of synthetic drugs available for pain control in labour, inclusive of neuraxial analgesics, inhaled analgesics, and various opioids. The inadequate efficacy and unfavourable side effects of these synthetic drugs prevent appropriate pharmacotherapy, resulting in a quest for natural therapies for reducing labour pain. Herbal therapies (aromatherapy) using several essential oils obtained from various natural plants are another alternative that calms and manages the mind and body through aromatic compounds that have neurological and physiological effects. The review discussed the safety profile of various synthetic drugs with their dosage information and also deliberated on the mechanism and safety profile of various natural plants that are used in aromatherapy. The review also briefly highlighted the other non-pharmacological miscellaneous techniques such as TENS, hypnosis, immersion in water, acupuncture, massage, and different other tactics that aim to assist women in coping with pain in labour.

Effects of Acupressure on Maternal and Neonatal Obstetric Outcomes during Labor: Study Protocol

BACKGROUND

A Cochrane review found that there is insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of acupressure for pain relief. One of the problems detected is the methodological variability reported.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of the application of acupressure on obstetric and neonatal outcomes of labor, pain experience, and mother's satisfaction with the experience.

METHOD

Design of a protocol to carry out a two-arm multicenter single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Intervention (pressure on LI4 of the left hand, B6 of the left leg, GB21 of the left shoulder, and then the same sequence on the right side) and placebo (application of the technique on points not identified by acupuncture as key points) will be performed by a single researcher.

RESULTS

The recruitment began in April 2021 and, to date, there has been the participation of 40 women, divided into 17 included in the experimental group and 23 in the control. Communication of future results will be made in accordance with the CONSORT checklist.

CONCLUSIONS

The designed protocol could methodologically improve some aspects of previous studies while maintaining adequate statistical power. The effectiveness of acupressure for one or more outcomes proposed (time and pain in labor) could support the inclusion of a new therapeutic tool in the clinical practice of midwives that would allow them to assist pregnant women, improving their experience both physically and psycho-emotionally.

[Care in a natural birth center and due compliance with national guidelines]

The scope of this article is to analyze the compliance of the care offered by Casa de Parto David Capistrano Filho-RJ with the recommendations of the National Guidelines for Care in Natural Childbirth. It involved a descriptive cross-sectional study with 952 observations, from 2014 to 2018. This included analysis of compliance using a judgment matrix and then classified as total compliance (≥75.0%), partial compliance (50.0%-74.9%), incipient compliance (49.9%-25.0%) and non-compliance (less than 24.9%). The results of the judgment matrix show that care in the aspects of labor, delivery and newborn care is in full compliance with the recommendations of the Guidelines. The care at the Casa de Parto Birth Center, conducted by obstetric nurses, follows the recommendations of the national guidelines, and has been seen to incorporate a de-medicalized, personalized form of care, which respects the physiology of childbirth. They also develop a model of their own technologies of care, constituting non-invasive technologies of obstetric nursing care.

[Good practices, interventions, and results: a comparative study between a birthing center and hospitals of the Brazilian Unified National Health System in the Southeastern Region, Brazil]

This study aims to compare obstetric care in a birthing center and in hospitals of the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS) considering good practices, interventions, and maternal and perinatal results in the Southeast Region of Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted with comparable retrospective data from two studies on labor and birth. A total of 1,515 puerperal women of usual risk of birthing centers and public hospitals in the Southeast region were included. Propensity score weighting was used to balance the groups according to the following covariates: age, skin-color, parity, membrane integrity, and cervix dilation at hospitalization. Logistic regressions were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) between the place of birth and outcomes. In birthing centers, compared to hospitals, the puerperal woman had a higher chance of having a companion (OR = 86.31; 95%CI: 29.65-251.29), eating or drinking (OR = 862.38; 95%CI: 120.20-6,187.33), walking around (OR = 7.56; 95%CI: 4.65-12.31), using non-pharmacological methods for pain relief (OR = 27.82; 95%CI: 17.05-45.40), being in an upright position (OR = 252.78; 95%CI: 150.60-423.33), and a lower chance of using oxytocin (OR = 0.22; 95%CI: 0.16-0.31), amniotomy (OR = 0.01; 95%CI: 0.01-0.04), episiotomy (OR = 0.01; 95%CI: 0.00-0.02), and Kristeller maneuvers (OR = 0.01; 95%CI: 0.00-0.02). Also, in birthing centers the newborn had a higher chance of exclusive breastfeeding (OR = 1.84; 95%CI: 1.16-2.90) and a lower chance of airway (OR = 0.24; 95%CI: 0.18-0.33) and gastric aspiration (OR = 0.15; 95%: 0.10-0.22). Thus, birthing centers offers a greater supply of good practices and fewer interventions in childbirth and birth care, with more safety and care without influence on the outcomes.

The teaching of good obstetric practices from the Residency preceptors’ perspective

Abstract The aim of this study was to understand how the topic of good obstetric practices is taught in residency programs according to the preceptors’ perception. This is a descriptive, exploratory study, with data triangulation, with a qualitative approach. A total of 35 professionals participated in the study, of which 21 were physicians and 14 nurses. Data were collected from March to June 2018. The analysis was supported by NVivo software. The nuclei of meanings and categories were identified in the different stages, in pedagogical projects: the structuring aspects, competence profile and guiding policies for normal childbirth; in the interviews: theoretical-practical approach and the practices present in the training and, in participant observation: aspects related to the structure of the scenarios and the use of practices. Possibilities and limits were observed in the role of preceptors in the training process, constituting an area that requires continuous attention, aimed at the strengthening of the pedagogical processes in order to expand the disruptive potential of new health professionals.

The teaching of good obstetric practices from the Residency preceptors' perspective

The aim of this study was to understand how the topic of good obstetric practices is taught in residency programs according to the preceptors' perception. This is a descriptive, exploratory study, with data triangulation, with a qualitative approach. A total of 35 professionals participated in the study, of which 21 were physicians and 14 nurses. Data were collected from March to June 2018. The analysis was supported by NVivo software. The nuclei of meanings and categories were identified in the different stages, in pedagogical projects: the structuring aspects, competence profile and guiding policies for normal childbirth; in the interviews: theoretical-practical approach and the practices present in the training and, in participant observation: aspects related to the structure of the scenarios and the use of practices. Possibilities and limits were observed in the role of preceptors in the training process, constituting an area that requires continuous attention, aimed at the strengthening of the pedagogical processes in order to expand the disruptive potential of new health professionals.

A Cross-Sectional Survey of Labor Pain Control and Women's Satisfaction

Introduction: Pain experienced during labor is a symptom of contractile activity and is a physiological feature of the uterus that occurs at the appropriate stages of labor. For the majority of women, labor pain is the most severe pain they will ever experience, and therefore should be relieved. Objective: (1) To evaluate labor pain intensity before and after using non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions; (2) to assess women’s satisfaction of labor pain management. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional survey study was performed on 500 women who gave birth in different reference level hospitals (i.e., I, II, III). Pain intensity was assessed according the Numeric Rating Scale (range 0–10), whereas women’s satisfaction was measured with a 5 point Likert scale. Results: The use of both non-pharmacological (median 6.7 (5; 8) vs. 4.5 (3.3; 5.5)) and pharmacological methods (median 8 (7; 9) vs. 5 (3; 6)) resulted in a significant reduction in pain (p < 0.01). Water immersion and epidural anesthesia proved to be the most effective non-pharmacological and pharmacological methods, respectively. In hospitals of reference I, analgesic management was based primarily on the use of non-pharmacological techniques, less often mixed, i.e., non-pharmacological and pharmacological techniques (27.5%). On the other hand, in hospitals with higher referentiality, mixed methods were used more often (level II—65.8%; level III—81.2%). Pain intensity was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in hospitals with reference level I (median 5 (4; 6)) than in the hospitals with reference level II (median 4.2 (3; 5)) or level III (median 4.2 (3.3; 5.4)). Epidural anesthesia was most often performed (60%) in the hospital of reference II. Women’s satisfaction (median 4 (3; 5)), inter alia, was associated with the effectiveness of applied methods. Conclusions: The study findings suggest that women giving birth in hospitals of higher referentiality have better control of labor pain due to access to pharmacological methods. Epidural anesthesia remains the gold standard for relieving labor pain. The choice of a specific method is determined by the degree of hospital and associated with the pain referentiality.

Assistência fisioterapêutica no trabalho de parto

RESUMO O parto é um acontecimento natural, sendo uma experiência subjetiva e complexa que varia de mulher para mulher. A intervenção fisioterapêutica na assistência obstétrica, valoriza a autonomia da mulher no processo de trabalho de parto, por meio do uso ativo do corpo e de métodos não farmacológicos para alívio da dor. O presente estudo buscou verificar a percepção da puérpera frente à assistência fisioterapêutica recebida durante o trabalho de parto. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, descritiva e exploratória. Os dados foram coletados através de questionário semiestruturado para a caracterização do perfil e entrevista aberta, com perguntas relacionadas à assistência fisioterapêutica e ao parto. Para a análise dos dados, utilizou-se da análise de conteúdo de Bardin. Foram incluídas 12 puérperas. A partir da análise do conteúdo das entrevistas, foram criadas três ideias centrais: experiência do parto; assistência fisioterapêutica; fisioterapia para alívio da dor. Pode-se concluir que na percepção das puérperas, a assistência fisioterapêutica tem um papel importante para a redução do quadro álgico e ansiedade, pois contribui para o suporte emocional, além de promover o relaxamento.