Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Hydrotherapy in labor.

R D Benfield1, J Herman, V L Katz

  • 1Nurse-Midwifery Education Program, Department of Family and Child Nursing, East Carolina University School of Nursing, Rivers Building Room 203, Greenville, NC 27858-4353, USA.

Research in Nursing & Health
|March 22, 2001
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Helical <i>vs.</i> non-helical nematic and lamellar proper ferroelectric liquid crystal phases.

Soft matter·2026
Same author

De Novo high-volume metastatic prostate cancer with primary resistance to standard systemic therapy and exceptional response to PSMA-Lu177: A case report.

International cancer conference journal·2026
Same author

Quasi-periodic X-ray eruptions years after a nearby tidal disruption event.

Nature·2024
Same author

Immune modulatory effects of tulathromycin, gamithromycin, and oxytetracycline in cattle.

BMC veterinary research·2024
Same author

Comparative electrophysiological characterization of ammodytoxin A, a β-neurotoxin from the nose-horned viper venom, and its enzymatically inactive mutant.

Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology·2024
Same author

Single organ metastatic sites in non-small cell lung cancer: Patient characteristics, treatment patterns and outcomes from a large retrospective Canadian cohort.

Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2024
Same journal

The Impact of Stress, Trauma, and Violence on Well-Being and Physical Health.

Research in nursing & health·2026
Same journal

A Comparison of Post-Traumatic Stress and Depressive Symptoms by Suicidal Ideation Among Black Transgender Women.

Research in nursing & health·2026
Same journal

Exploring Prolonged Grief Experiences of Ethnoracial Minoritized Caregivers: An Emic Perspective.

Research in nursing & health·2026
Same journal

The Psychometric Properties of the Caregiver Feeding Style Questionnaire: A Cross-Cultural Validation in Spanish Parents.

Research in nursing & health·2026
Same journal

Feasibility of an Online Resilience Program for Mothers With Adverse Childhood Experiences.

Research in nursing & health·2026
Same journal

Stories of Childhood Trauma Experienced by Women Living Houseless: Deconstructing the Concept of Protection.

Research in nursing & health·2026
See all related articles

Hydrotherapy during labor significantly reduces maternal anxiety and pain. This pilot study suggests bathing offers short-term relief without increasing complications, supporting its therapeutic use.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Perinatal Care
  • Pain Management

Background:

  • Maternal anxiety and pain can complicate labor and lead to fetal distress.
  • Existing pain management options may carry risks for mother and fetus.
  • Hydrotherapy presents a potential non-pharmacological approach to labor pain and anxiety.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the psychophysiological effects of hydrotherapy on maternal anxiety and pain during labor.
  • To assess the impact of hydrotherapy on plasma volume and urine catecholamines.
  • To evaluate maternal-fetal complications associated with labor hydrotherapy.

Main Methods:

  • Pilot study utilizing a randomized, pretest-posttest control group design with repeated measures.
  • 18 term parturients were assigned to either a control or experimental group.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Experimental group received 1-hour hydrotherapy in 37°C water during early labor.

    • Main Results:

    • Hydrotherapy significantly decreased maternal anxiety and pain scores at 15 and 60 minutes compared to the control group.
    • A significant increase in plasma volume was observed in the hydrotherapy group after 15 minutes.
    • No significant differences were found in urine catecholamines or maternal-fetal complications between groups.

    Conclusions:

    • Hydrotherapy shows preliminary support for acute, short-term reduction of anxiety and pain during labor.
    • The findings suggest hydrotherapy is a safe, non-pharmacological intervention with potential benefits.
    • Further research with larger sample sizes is warranted to confirm these therapeutic effects.