The effect of virtual reality glasses used with music during episiotomy repair on women's perceived pain, vital signs and postpartum comfort

Aim: This study was conducted with the aim of examining the effect of virtual reality glasses used with music during episiotomy repair on women's perceived pain, vital signs and postpartum comfort. Materials and Method: This study was conducted as a randomised control group trial consisting of 84 women who visited Necip Fazıl City Hospital Gynecology and Child Additional Service Building to deliver between October 2020 and January 2021 and were primigravid, had had mediolateral episiotomy, met the research criteria, and agreed to participate in the study (Study 40/Control 44). Women in the study group were made to watch nature scenery accompanied by classical Turkish music in acemaşiran tune with sterile virtual reality glasses however, nothing was done during the procedure for women in the control group. " Introductory Information-Labour and Episiotomy Follow-up Form for Pregnant Women", " VAS pain score ", "Postpartum Comfort Scale" and "Virtual Reality Glasses Application Questionnaire" were used to collect the data. Statistical analysis of the data was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics 25.0 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, US) using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Student's T, Mann Whitney U and Friedman tests. During the evaluation of the data, p<0.05 was accepted as the significance level. Result: According to the results of the research, the perceived episiotomy repair time was found to be shorter(p<0.001). Moreover, compared to the control group, VAS pain score levels of the study group were found to be statistically significantly lower both during ((C:7/ S:5) and after episiotomy (C:4/S:2) repair (p<0.001). No statistically significant difference was found between the control and study groups in the measurements of vital signs before episiotomy repair, during episiotomy repair and after episiotomy repair (p>0.05). Postpartum comfort scores were found to be ( S: 4,20±0,36/ C: 3,99±0,55)statistically significantly higher in the study group (p=0.032). Conclusion: In conclusion, as a result of the perceived views achieved with the virtual reality glasses and the music played, perceived episiotomy was shorter. These views and the music played helped to manage the pain during and after episiotomy repair and increased postpartum comfort of the women. Keywords: Episiotomy, Midwifery, Pain management, Virtual Reality.