Document Type : Guideline
Authors
1
Master’s in Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2
Professor of Midwifery and Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3
Member of the Board of Directors of the Iranian Scientific Acupuncture Association, Tehran, Iran
4
Assistant Professor of Biostatistics, Department of Basic Sciences, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
10.22038/ijogi.2025.87078.6396
Abstract
Postpartum pain is one of the most common complications of the postpartum period and its management is related to the pleasantness of childbirth and its aftermath. Today there is a special tendency towards the use of complementary therapy. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of hand reflexology on postpartum pain.
The clinical trial was conducted on 99 research units after vaginal delivery. Random assignment was made to three groups of 33 people real intervention, sham intervention, and routine care. Three interventions were performed every 4 hours, for 20 minutes each time, by the researcher on the cardiac, solar plexus, pituitary, and uterine reflex areas of the hands. Afterpain was measured before, immediately, 30, 60, 120 minutes after the intervention, and 24, 48, and 72 hours after delivery. The three groups received analgesics 30 minutes after the intervention if needed.
The results showed that the mean intensity of post-partum pain decreased in the three groups in the intra-group comparison (p<0.001). The mean intensity of post-partum pain in the real intervention was 3.58 units lower than in the routine care and 2.06 units lower than in the sham intervention (P<0.001) and 1.52 units lower in the real intervention than in the sham intervention (P<0.001). The use of analgesics in the real intervention was lower than in the other two groups (P=0.001).
The study showed that hand reflexology can be recommended alongside drug treatments due to the reducing post-partum pain and the absence of complications.
Keywords
Main Subjects
)