The effect of sacral massage on labor pain and anxiety: A randomized controlled trial

Nonpharmacologic pain control methods, which are increasingly becoming widespread in coping with labor pain, are the methods that allow women to completely relax without using any medication and direct them to perceive the pain at the lowest level. This study was conducted to determine the effect of sacral massage on labor pain and anxiety.

This study was conducted as a randomized controlled experimental study at Bağcılar Hospital, Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic between March and October 2016. In all, 60 women, 30 of whom were in the control group and 30 of whom were in the experimental group, constituted the research sample. The women in the experimental group were administered a massage to the sacral region for 30 min. The questionnaire form, birth action follow-up form, postpartum interview form, visual analog scale (VAS) and state-trait anxiety inventory were used to collect data in the study.

The latent phase VAS averages (3.57 ± 1.43), active phase VAS averages (7.03 ± 1.5) and transition phase VAS averages (8.83 ± 1.78) of the experimental group were found to be statistically significantly lower than those of the control group (P < .05).

It was concluded that sacral massage applied during labor reduced women's labor pain, lowered the levels of concern and anxiety, led to greater feelings of satisfaction among pregnant women in terms of labor, positively affected the perception of labor and had no fetal side effects.