The effect of reflexology on labor

Labor pain is one of the most severe types of pain experienced by a woman throughout her life. As a result of the labor pain and birth-related stress, maternal and fetus health is negatively affected. However, this pain is separated from other types of pain in terms of its characteristics such as being a part of the natural process, taking place within a limited period of time, and the mother's enduring this pain willingly for her baby. Controlling of labor pain will decrease the anxiety and tension experienced by pregnant woman. This study was conducted as a randomized controlled study in order to determine the effect of reflexology, one of the non-pharmacological methods used in the management of labor pain, on anxiety, labor duration, labor pain, and labor satisfaction in primiparous pregnant women. A total of 60 women including 30 in reflexology group and 30 in control group were included in the study. Descriptive information form, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI FORM TX-I), and Birth Satisfaction Scale were used for data collection. In the evaluation of the data, Shapiro Wilk test, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman Correlation analysis were used. By giving appropriate position in the first stage of delivery to the pregnant women in the experimental group, 10-minute massage was applied to both feet including 5-minute massage for each foot starting first from the right foot the supervision of a doctor to facilitate the hand movements, then the reflexology technique was applied by stimulating the nerve points by applying pressure to reflex regions of each foot for 20 minutes as totally 40 minutes for both feet. The control group was composed of pregnant women who received routine treatment, care and applications of the hospital. The second stage of the delivery took averagely 30.83 minutes in the control group and 27.33 minutes in the experimental group. The third stage of the delivery took averagely 11.67 minutes in the control group and 8.83 minutes in the experimental group. A statistically significant difference was observed between the mean periods of the second and third stages of the control and experimental groups. VAS mean scores of the experimental group were found to be statistically significantly lower than the control group. In the first stage of the delivery, reflexology application was determined to be effective in decreasing the pain and anxiety of the pregnant women and increasing the birth satisfaction. Keywords: Anxiety, Birth, Birth Satisfaction, Pain, Reflexology