A Comparison between Herbal Ball Hot Compression and Fabric Ball Hot Compression on Pain Reduction during Labor in Primigravida

Abstract

The objective of this study was to compare the average pain score during the active phase of labor between two groups of primigravida, namely, the experimental group who received herbal ball hot com-pression and fabric ball hot compression for labor pain relief and the control group who used fabric ball hot compression. It was conducted as a quasi-experimental research among pregnant women giving birth at the Buddhasothorn hospital, Chachoengsao Province, during March 2016 to June 2016. The pain scores were measured by using Visual Analogue Scale. The data were analyzed by using independent t-test. The results revealed that herbal ball hot compression group’s mean pain scores were significantly lower than the control group (p<0.05). In conclusion, hot compression by the use of herbal ball can be more effective than fabric ball in reducing labor pain during the transitional phase among the primigravida.