Virtual reality is beneficial in decreasing pain in labouring women: A preliminary study

Women use a range of non-pharmacological pain relief methods to reduce labour pain intensity and to help manage labour pain.

The purpose of this intervention study was to determine whether virtual reality would have an effect on labour pain intensity. Virtual reality has been shown to be effective in reducing pain in other acute pain settings.

This study was an intervention study in labour in a cross-over within-subjects design (Clinical Trials Registry Number: ACTRN12618001776291P). Fourteen participants reported their pain and had their heart rate and blood pressure measured during active labour while using and not using virtual reality.

There were significantly lower reported pain scores (6.14 compared to 7.61, P < 0.001) and maternal heart rate (79.86 beats per minute compared to 85.57, P = 0.033) and mean arterial pressure (88.78 mmHg compared to 92.61 mmHg, P = 0.022) were lower when using virtual reality compared to when not using virtual reality during active labour.

This study makes an important contribution to the field of virtual reality in labour and birth. It is consistent with other recent findings of reduced pain in labour and links decreased pain scales to heart rate and blood pressure, the physiological markers of pain.