The Effect of Chewing Gum and Use of Stress Balls on Perception of Labor Pain, Fear of Birth, and Duration of Delivery

This study was conducted as a randomized controlled experimental study. This study was planned to determine the effects of chewing gum and using a stress ball on the perception of labor pain, duration of labor and birth satisfaction. The population of the study consisted of primiparous mothers who applied to the hospital. This study was planned to determine the effects of chewing gum and using a stress ball on the perception of labor pain, duration of labor and birth satisfaction. The study was carried out in two stages. In the first stage, the data were collected in the delivery room, and in the second stage, the postpartum satisfaction levels of the mothers were measured in the postpartum service. The sample number of the investigators' study was determined as 96. Visual analog scale, birth satisfaction scale and birth follow-up form were used for the data of our study.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Labor Pain; Birth Satisfaction; Duration of Birth
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: chewing gum; Other: stress ball

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 96
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Kastamonu
    • Merkez, Kastamonu, Turkey, 37150
      • Şahika Şimşek Çetinkaya

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 35 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being primiparous to be in due time
• To have spontaneous vaginal delivery
• Ability to communicate verbally be between the ages of 18-35
• Not having a risky pregnancy
• Having a single fetus in the vertex position
• Having started contractions and continuing regularly
• Being in the latent phase of action (0-4 cm dilatation)
• Not having used any analgesia or using any pain medication to reduce pain during labor

Exclusion Criteria:

• Mothers who have a cesarean section decision
• Risky Pregnant
• Multiple Pregnancies
• Multiparous pregnant women

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: chewing gum; Pregnant women with 4-5 cm cervical dilatation started chewing gum as soon as their contractions came and they chewed gum for 20 minutes. and when the cervical dilation was 6-8 cm, they chewed gum again for 20 minutes.	Other: chewing gum; Pregnant women with 4-5 cm cervical dilatation were asked to squeeze the ball for 5 seconds and loosen it for 2 seconds as soon as their contractions came and within 20 minutes, and when the cervical opening was 6-8 cm, they chewed gum again for 20 minutes.
Experimental: stress ball; Pregnant women with 4-5 cm cervical dilatation were asked to tighten the ball for 5 seconds and relax for 2 seconds within 20 minutes when their contractions came, and when the cervical opening was 6-8 cm, they were asked to tighten the ball for 5 seconds and relax for 2 seconds within 20 minutes.	Other: stress ball; Pregnant women with 4-5 cm cervical dilatation were asked to tighten the ball for 5 seconds and relax for 2 seconds within 20 minutes when their contractions came, and when the cervical opening was 6-8 cm, they were asked to tighten the ball for 5 seconds and relax for 2 seconds within 20 minutes.
No Intervention: Control Group; standard care

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
labor pain	Visual Analog scale I for labor pain was applied in 0-3 cm , Visual Analog Scale II in 4-5 cm and Visual Analog Scale III was applied in 6-8 cm cervical dilatation. The study continues through study completion, an average of 1 year
Duration of labor	A birth follow-up form was used from the beginning of cervical dilatation to delivery.
birth satisfaction	satisfaction form used postpartum at the 4th hour

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Kastamonu University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 5, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 5, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): June 5, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 10, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 14, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): May 18, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): March 6, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 3, 2023
• Last Verified: March 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: satisfaction; labor pain; stress ball; chewing gum,
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Labor Pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: KAEK-143-132

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No