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Evaluating the Effectiveness of Complementary Health Therapies in Labor Pain Reduction: A Systematic Review and
Yea-Jyh Chen1, Richard S Pond, Joeliene Ray DeVries
1Author Affiliations: College of Health and Human Services, School of Nursing, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC (Drs Chen and McEwen-Campbell); Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC (Dr Pond); Nursing Department, University of Virginia (UVA) Health, Charlottesville, VA (Ms DeVries); College of Nursing and Center for Smart Healthcare Education, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Chiayi Campus, Chiayi, Taiwan (Cheng); and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Chiayi Branch, Chiayi, Taiwan (Dr Cheng).
Abstract:
Labor pain can profoundly affect a woman's childbirth and postpartum experience. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of complementary health therapies for reducing labor pain. Twenty-nine randomized controlled trials (N = 3774) between 2020 and 2023 were analyzed. Interventions included massage, acupressure, yoga, music, electrical nerve stimulation, and virtual reality. Massage and acupressure were the most frequently used. These therapies significantly reduced labor pain ( d = -1.16), but no single therapy was identified as the most effective. Nonpharmacological approaches may support individualized, culturally responsive labor pain management and promote integrative maternity care globally. Findings should account for heterogeneity and potential publication bias.
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