Reducing Pain in the First Stage of Labour Using Counter-Pressure Therapy in the Indonesian Hospital

Abstract

Inadequately managed labor pain can negatively impact the birthing process. Potential adverse effects of labor pain include stress, fatigue, impaired breathing patterns, inhibited oxytocin production, psychological distress, and an increased risk of medical interventions. Counter-pressure is a safe nursing intervention used to alleviate labor pain. This study aimed to determine the effect of counter-pressure on intrapartum maternal pain. A pre-experimental, one-group pretest-posttest design was utilized, focusing on first-stage intrapartum maternal pain within a hospital setting. The study participants included mothers in labor at the obstetrics department of Roemani Hospital, Semarang, Indonesia. A total of 20 participants were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a numerical rating scale (NRS) and laboratory analysis of blood specimens. Results indicated that counter-pressure was effective in significantly reducing intrapartum maternal pain (P=0.0001). Following counter-pressure treatment, participants experienced a mean reduction of 2.4 points on the pain scale. The findings also demonstrated that counter-pressure does not adversely affect the inflammatory process or labor contractions. Sacral counter-pressure proved effective in alleviating pain during the first stage of labor. Nurses in obstetric units are encouraged to implement this intervention as a pain management strategy for intrapartum patients.