Authors: Rawah Siraj Iskandar, Ahlam E. Al-Zahrani, Jilan A. Al-Battawi.
Background: Massage therapy is a non-pharmacological method for reducing labor pain, usually used during the first stage of labor.
Aim: To assess the effectiveness of lower back massage on reducing labor pain for primiparous.
Methods: A quantitative, Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) design was used to carry out the study.
Tool: one tool was used. It was divided into four parts: Part I: It assesses the mothers’ demographic, and current labor data. Part II: It assesses the pain intensity before applying the intervention by visual analogue scale (VAS). As well, it assesses the mothers’ expression during labor. Part III: It assesses the pain intensity after 30 minutes of implementing the intervention by VAS. As well, it assesses the mothers’ expression during labor. Then, it evaluates the mothers’ satisfaction from intervention by using Likert Scale. Part IV: Partogragh sheet for mothers’ assessment.
Subjects: The researcher was used a purposive sampling which selected related to some included criteria. The sample consisted of 60 mothers in the first stage of labor divided into two groups; experimental (30 mothers) and control group (30 mothers).
Setting: This study carried out in Maternity and Children’s Hospital (MCH) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Results: The study results showed that experimental group had lower pain intensity at 4cm and 6cm (p< 0.05) in comparison with control group, but at 8cm no significant difference found between both groups (p> 0.05). In addition mothers in experimental group were more satisfied in comparison with control group.
Conclusion: A lower back massage is an effective, non- invasive and alternative intervention, to reduce labor pain and increase the level of mothers’ satisfaction.
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