The evaluation of sitting position in reducing labor pain

Abstract

The aim of this study was the evaluation of sitting position on reducing labor pain. Fifty laboring woman (thirty three primiparous and seventeen multiparous) alternately assumed the sitting and supine position during the late phases of labor (cervical dilation from six to eight centimeters), and pain intensity was measured by a 100 millimeter Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at the each position. The results showed that the pain scores during the sitting position were significantly lower than that during the supine position. The diminished pain scores were more than thirteen millimeters, which is the minimum clinically significant change in patient pain severity measured with a 100 millimeter Visual Analog Scale. The largest decrease measured was in the lower back pain. No differences were found between the two different pain scores (sitting and supine) in abdominal pain. 52% of parturients in the supine position and 34% of parturients in the sitting position pronounced that back pain was most painful during the latter phases of labor, indicating that the sitting position during the first stage of labor is an effective method to relieve labor pain.