Publication:

Effectiveness of heat application on comfort during labor among primigravida women: a pilot study

Background Labor discomfort may result in worry, anxiety, and fear, potentially affecting a woman’s childbirth experience. Comfort can be experienced even in the severe pain of labor. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of heat application on comfort during the first active phase of childbirth among the experimental and control groups.

Methods The study was conducted at Bharatpur Hospital in Chitwan, Nepal. Ten first-time mothers with low-risk pregnancies participated in this randomized trial.  One group received heat application on the lower back for pain relief, while the other received standard hospital care. To measure their comfort during labor, the Childbirth Comfort questionnaire was used at different times. The results were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, such as t-tests and repeated-measure ANOVA tests, to compare the effects.

Results The results demonstrated that in the experimental group, comfort levels increased over time, as reflected by the mean scores, standard deviations, t-test, and F-values. In contrast, the control group showed a gradual decline in comfort. The t-test revealed a significant difference in comfort levels during post-tests II and III across the four conditions, with an F-value of 29.986 and a p value of less than 0.002.

Conclusions Heat application during the first stage of labor increases the comfort level among the experimental group more than the comparison group. Hence, it can be considered as a method for comfort during labor after validation.