The effect of guided imagery on the third stage of labor: a pilot study.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this pilot study was to test the effects of guided imagery on blood loss during the third stage of labor. DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a three-group randomized controlled trial. Recruitment was conducted from a university nurse-midwifery practice. SUBJECTS: Sixty (60) women between pregnancy weeks 36 and 38 participated. INTERVENTIONS: The women were randomized into experimental, placebo, and control groups.Outcome measures: Intrauterine pressure catheters were used to measure uterine contraction frequency and intensity. Blood loss was measured. Analysis of variance was used to compare the three groups on continuous variables. RESULTS: Complete data were collected on 41 subjects. No significant differences were found among the groups on demographic or potentially confounding variables. CONCLUSIONS: Blood loss was nominally lower in the experimental group, but conclusions cannot be drawn due to the sample size.

Author information

Author/s: Schorn, Mavis N (MN);

Affiliation: Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, TN 37240, USA. mavis.schorn(-atsign-)vanderbilt.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial

Journal: Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) (J Altern Complement Med), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Aug; vol 15 (issue 8) : pp 863-70

Dates: Created 2009/08/14; Completed 2009/10/29;

PMID: 19678776, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/29/2009, IMS Date: )

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