Cold therapy for pain relief during and after amniocentesis procedure: A randomized controlled trial

To compare effects of cold therapy on patient pain score during and after amniocentesis procedure.

We performed a prospective randomized-controlled study comparing the anticipated pain, perceived pain during the procedure, and pain after 15 and 30 min of amniocentesis between pregnant women receiving cold therapy before (group 1), after (group 2), and both before and after amniocentesis (group 3) with a control group (group 4). Pain was measured using a visual analog scale (VAS) score.

A total of 480 participants were recruited and randomly assigned into four groups of 120 each. Anticipated pain scores in all groups were not statistically different. When compared with group 4, groups 1 and 3 experienced significant pain reduction during amniocentesis, while VAS scores at 15 and 30 min after amniocentesis in groups 1-3 were significantly lower as compared to group 4.

Cold therapy both before and after amniocentesis procedure is most effective in pain reduction. It encourages the pregnant woman's cooperation during the procedure and provides a good amniocentesis experience. Application of cold compression is also beneficial in other aspects as it is simple, safe, convenient, and yet reusable and economically efficient for routine use in all pregnant women undergoing amniocentesis.