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Research Article
A Randomized Clinical Trial on the Effect of Foot Reflexology in the Fourth Stage of Labor on Uterine After Pain
Narjes Bahri
Assistant Professor in Reproductive Health, Social Development &Health Promotion Research Center, Department of Midwifery, School of Medicine, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.
Corresponding Author
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Objective: Uterine after-pains are among the most prevalent complaints after natural vaginal delivery. Non-pharmacological treatment modalities to relieve after-pains are an important care priority. This study aimed to investigate the effect of foot reflexology in the fourth stage of labor on after-pains in multiparous women.
Methods: This single-blind randomized clinical trial recruited 80 eligible pregnant women presenting to Allameh Bohlool Hospital in Gonabad and 17-Shahrivar Hospital in Mashhad in 2019. In the first and second hours postpartum, the reflexology group received 10 minutes of general massage and specific reflexology massage on each foot in uterine, pituitary, and solar plexus points. The control group received 10 minutes of general massage, and then rotational massage on a neutral point on the lateral side of the heel. The pain was measured every hour up to 4 hours postpartum using a visual analog scale. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS-16 software at a significance level of P<0.05.
Results: The median of after-pain score in the first hour postpartum was not statistically significantly different between the two groups (P=0.05), but it was lower in the reflexology group at the second (P=0.04), third (P<0.001), and fourth hours postpartum (P<0.001). The mean total after-pain score of the four hours postpartum was significantly lower in the reflexology group (P<0.001).
Conclusions: The results revealed that foot reflexology in the fourth stage of labor has positive effects on the relief of uterine after-pain. It is therefore recommended that reflexology be used to reduce postpartum uterine after-pain.
Keywords
Reflexology, after-pain, complementary medicine
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On 21 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #4 agreed
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On 21 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #7 agreed
On 21 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #5 agreed
On 21 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #6 agreed
On 21 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 21 Dec, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 18 Dec, 2020
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On 18 Dec, 2020
Editor invited
On 18 Dec, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 18 Dec, 2020
First submitted
On 25 Nov, 2020
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Subject Areas
Sexual & Reproductive Medicine
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research Article
A Randomized Clinical Trial on the Effect of Foot Reflexology in the Fourth Stage of Labor on Uterine After Pain
Narjes Bahri
Assistant Professor in Reproductive Health, Social Development &Health Promotion Research Center, Department of Midwifery, School of Medicine, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.
Corresponding Author
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Revision
Version 1
Posted 21 Dec, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 20 Jan, 2021
Review #1 received
Received 21 Dec, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 21 Dec, 2020
Review #6 received
Received 21 Dec, 2020
Review #5 received
Received 21 Dec, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 21 Dec, 2020
Review #4 received
Received 21 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 21 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 21 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #4 agreed
On 21 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #8 agreed
On 21 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #7 agreed
On 21 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #5 agreed
On 21 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #6 agreed
On 21 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 21 Dec, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 18 Dec, 2020
Editor assigned
On 18 Dec, 2020
Editor invited
On 18 Dec, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 18 Dec, 2020
First submitted
On 25 Nov, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Sexual & Reproductive Medicine
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Objective: Uterine after-pains are among the most prevalent complaints after natural vaginal delivery. Non-pharmacological treatment modalities to relieve after-pains are an important care priority. This study aimed to investigate the effect of foot reflexology in the fourth stage of labor on after-pains in multiparous women.
Methods: This single-blind randomized clinical trial recruited 80 eligible pregnant women presenting to Allameh Bohlool Hospital in Gonabad and 17-Shahrivar Hospital in Mashhad in 2019. In the first and second hours postpartum, the reflexology group received 10 minutes of general massage and specific reflexology massage on each foot in uterine, pituitary, and solar plexus points. The control group received 10 minutes of general massage, and then rotational massage on a neutral point on the lateral side of the heel. The pain was measured every hour up to 4 hours postpartum using a visual analog scale. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS-16 software at a significance level of P<0.05.
Results: The median of after-pain score in the first hour postpartum was not statistically significantly different between the two groups (P=0.05), but it was lower in the reflexology group at the second (P=0.04), third (P<0.001), and fourth hours postpartum (P<0.001). The mean total after-pain score of the four hours postpartum was significantly lower in the reflexology group (P<0.001).
Conclusions: The results revealed that foot reflexology in the fourth stage of labor has positive effects on the relief of uterine after-pain. It is therefore recommended that reflexology be used to reduce postpartum uterine after-pain.
Figure 1
Figure 2