Effectiveness of Abdominal Effleurage versus Pharmacological Intervention on Labour Pain among Primi Parturients Admitted in Labour Room

The labour and birth process is an exciting, painful and anxiety provoking. The alleviation of pain is important. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of abdominal effleurage versus pharmacological intervention on labour pain among primi parturients. Objectives of the study were, assess the labour pain among primi parturients before and after abdominal effleurage, assess the labour pain among primi parturients before and after pharmacological intervention and compare the labour pain among primi parturients after abdominal effleurage and pharmacological intervention. The present study was based on Modified J. W. Kenny's Open System Model proposed by J.W. Kenny's. The research design used was quasi experiment design with pretest multiple posttest comparison group design. The study was conducted among 30 primi parturients on labour pain selected by purposive sampling technique in labour room of Lisie hospital, Ernakulam. The Numerical pain scale was used for assessing the labour pain among primi parturients. Content validity of the tool was done with the help of experts. Pilot study was conducted among 10 subjects and the study was found to be feasible. The main study data were collected from Lisie hospital, Ernakulam. Pretest was conducted for both groups when uterine contraction of duration more than 20 seconds. The abdominal effleurage was performed for subjects in experimental group from the onset of each uterine contractions of duration more than 20 seconds till relaxation and further abdominal effleurage was repeated for every subsequent contraction up to the contraction of duration more than 40 seconds and for subjects in comparison group pharmacological intervention (Inj: Fortwin 30mg IM and Inj: Phenergan 25mg IM) were administered from the onset of uterine contraction of duration more than 20 seconds and repeated after 4 hours if women demanded. After the intervention posttest 1 was conducted for both group 1 hour after the pretest and posttest 2 was conducted 1 hour after the posttest 1 coinciding with uterine contraction. The data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Study findings revealed that the mean score of reduction of labour pain was lower in comparison group and higher in experimental group for posttest 1 and posttest 2 and t-value for posttest 1 and posttest 2 were 5.547* and 7.273* respectively, significant at 0.05 level. The result of the study showed that the abdominal effleurage was effective in reducing labour pain compared to pharmacological intervention.