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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

An Experimental Paradigm for the Prediction of Post-Operative Pain (PPOP)
Published on: January 27, 2010
Perineal analgesia with an ice pack after spontaneous vaginal birth: a randomized controlled trial
Lucila Coca Leventhal1, Sonia Maria Junqueira Vasconcellos de Oliveira, Moacyr Roberto Cuce Nobre
1School of Nursing in Albert Einstein Hospital, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Introduction:
This study evaluated the effectiveness of an ice pack applied for 20 minutes to alleviate perineal pain after spontaneous vaginal birth.
Methods:
We conducted a randomized controlled trial at the Amparo Maternal Birth Center in São Paulo, Brazil. Study participants included 114 nulliparous women divided into 3 groups (n = 38 per group): experimental (ice packs on the perineum), placebo (water packs at set temperature), and control (no treatment).
Results:
A numerical scale (0 to 10) was used for pain assessment. A comparison of the average pain at the beginning and after 20 minutes showed a significant reduction of pain (P < .001) in the 3 groups, and the experimental group had a lower average score for pain compared with the control group (1.6 versus 3.3, P = .032).
Discussion:
The use of ice packs for 20 minutes was effective for perineal pain relief after vaginal birth.
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