A Quasi experimental Study to Assess the Effect of Foot Reflexology on Anxiety, Labour Pain and Outcome of the Labour among Primipara Women Admitted in Labour room at SGRD Hospital, Vallah, Amritsar
Introduction: Fear of pain during labour is one of the major issues for which women do not get ready for normal vaginal delivery. Generally anxiety, labor pain in primigravida women is unbearable due to which treating the pain become priority for the health care professionals. Nowadays non pharmacological strategies are more in trend as compare to pharmacological strategies. Among all the non pharmacological measures, most effective approach is Foot Reflexology. Aim: The aim of the study is to find out the effect of foot reflexology on anxiety, intensity of labour pain and outcome of labour among primipara women. Material and Method: A quantitative quasi experimental design was used in this research study. The present study was conducted on women admitted in labour room at Sri Guru Ram Das Hospital, Vallah, Amritsar. Total 60 primipara women were selected through the purposive sampling technique and selected sample was assigned into two different groups that were experimental and control group. Written consent was taken from participants of study. Socio Demographic profile, State Trait Anxiety Inventory Scale, Numeric Pain Rating Scale, Self structured Labour outcome of women was used as tool for data collection. The intervention foot reflexology was given over reflexes points of both feet by means of gentle massage and firm pressure for a period of 40 minutes in latent phase of labour. Results: In Pre test mean and SD was 49.5+ 1.40 (level of anxiety) 9.46+ 0.68 (intensity of labour pain) in experimental group and 51.1+ 1.20 (level of anxiety) 9.1+ 0.60 (intensity of labour pain) in control group, labour outcome was assessed in terms of Blood pressure, body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate which was found to be normal in both experimental group and control group. In post test mean and SD was 42.6+ 0.92 (level of anxiety) 6.2+ 0.73 (intensity of labour pain) in experimental group and 48.8+ 1.53 (level of anxiety) 8.8+ 0.46 (intensity of labour pain) in control group, the labour outcome was assessed in terms of Blood pressure, body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, type of delivery which was found to be normal both in experimental and control group. The effectiveness was statistically tested by using 't' Test and the result was found to be significant at p<0.05 level of significance. Results were again in favour of the use of "foot reflexology" when comparing the level of anxiety, labour pain, outcome of labour between experimental and control group in the current study (p<0.05) Hence, it can be concluded from this study that the foot reflexology can reduce the level of anxiety, relive the labour pain and improve normal labour outcome among primipara women.