Effect of Multi-Sensory Interventions on Labor Pain, Comfort, and Birth Satisfaction

NCT ID: NCT07248787

Last Updated: 2025-11-25

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

200 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-12-01

Study Completion Date

2027-06-30

Brief Summary

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The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether different multi-sensory methods can help lower labor pain and improve comfort and birth satisfaction among pregnant women giving birth vaginally.

The main questions this study aims to answer are:

Do supportive methods such as massage, lavender aromatherapy, Turkish makam music, or aquarium visual stimulation help women feel less labor pain compared to standard care?

Do these methods increase women's comfort and satisfaction during labor?

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of five groups:

Sacral massage group - will receive 10-minute sacral massages three times during labor.

Lavender aromatherapy group - will inhale lavender essential oil through a diffuser for 20 minutes, three times during labor.

Music therapy group - will listen to Turkish makam music (Rehavi or Nihavend) for 20 minutes, three times during labor.

Visual stimulation group - will watch a live aquarium image continuously during active labor.

Control group - will receive standard maternity care only.

All participants will give informed consent and receive care in the obstetrics unit of Kütahya City Hospital, Türkiye.

Researchers will measure:

Labor pain intensity at 4-5 cm, 6-7 cm, and 8-10 cm cervical dilatation using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

Comfort level at 8-9 cm using the Comfort Characteristics Questionnaire (CCQ).

Birth satisfaction about 2 hours after delivery using the Birth Satisfaction Scale (BSS).

Labor duration will also be recorded.

This study will help determine which sensory methods are most effective and comfortable for pregnant women, and may guide supportive care practices during childbirth.

Detailed Description

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This study investigates the effects of four non-pharmacological, multi-sensory interventions-sacral massage, lavender aromatherapy, Turkish makam music, and aquarium visual stimulation-on key intrapartum outcomes. The trial uses a five-arm, parallel-group, randomized design conducted in the obstetrics clinic of Kütahya City Hospital.

Participants will be randomly assigned using sealed, opaque envelopes. All sensory interventions will be applied during the active and transitional phases of labor by trained midwives following standardized procedures. Outcome assessment will be performed by personnel blinded to group allocation to minimize bias.

The rationale for the selected sensory interventions is based on their proposed ability to modulate pain perception, enhance relaxation, and support emotional well-being through tactile, olfactory, auditory, or visual pathways. Each method has been previously used in maternity care, though comparative evidence in a multi-arm design is limited.

The study will evaluate the safety, feasibility, and relative effectiveness of these interventions within routine clinical practice. Analyses will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Standard comparative tests (e.g., ANOVA and repeated-measures models) will be used to examine differences in pain trajectories and other outcomes across the five groups.

The findings aim to generate clinically relevant evidence supporting the integration of culturally appropriate sensory strategies into intrapartum care to enhance women's childbirth experiences.

Conditions

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Labor Pain Birth Satisfaction

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Five parallel groups: sacral massage, lavender aromatherapy, Turkish makam music, aquarium visual stimulus, and control (standard care).
Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors
Outcome assessors and statisticians will be blinded to group assignments during data analysis.

Study Groups

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Sacral Massage

Participants in this group will receive a 10-minute sacral massage during each stage of labor (three times in total) by a trained midwife using circular hand movements over the sacral area to relieve labor pain.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Sacral Massage

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

A 10-minute sacral massage applied by a trained midwife during each stage of labor (three sessions in total). The massage involves circular hand motions to relieve pain and promote relaxation.

Lavender Aromatherapy

Participants in this group will receive lavender aromatherapy through a diffuser for 20 minutes during each stage of labor (three times in total). A few drops of pure lavender essential oil will be added to distilled water in a diffuser to promote relaxation and reduce pain perception.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Lavender Aromatherapy

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Lavender essential oil diffused for 20 minutes during each stage of labor (three times total) to promote calmness and reduce pain intensity.

Turkish Makam Music

Participants will listen to selected Turkish Makam music (Rehavi and Nihavend) played at 45-65 dB for 20 minutes during each stage of labor (three times in total). Music will be delivered via headphones in a quiet environment to enhance comfort and emotional well-being.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Turkish Makam Music

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Rehavi and Nihavend Turkish makam music (45-65 dB) played through headphones for 20 minutes during each stage of labor (three times total).

Aquarium Visual Stimulus

Participants will watch a video of an aquarium scene (fish swimming calmly) displayed on a screen throughout the active phase of labor to provide a soothing visual focus and reduce anxiety.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Aquarium Visual Stimulus

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Continuous presentation of an aquarium scene video during the active phase of labor to provide visual distraction and relaxation.

Standard Care

Participants in the control group will receive routine obstetric care without any additional sensory interventions.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Sacral Massage

A 10-minute sacral massage applied by a trained midwife during each stage of labor (three sessions in total). The massage involves circular hand motions to relieve pain and promote relaxation.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Lavender Aromatherapy

Lavender essential oil diffused for 20 minutes during each stage of labor (three times total) to promote calmness and reduce pain intensity.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Turkish Makam Music

Rehavi and Nihavend Turkish makam music (45-65 dB) played through headphones for 20 minutes during each stage of labor (three times total).

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Aquarium Visual Stimulus

Continuous presentation of an aquarium scene video during the active phase of labor to provide visual distraction and relaxation.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Pregnant women aged 18 to 40 years
* Gestational age ≥ 37 weeks (term pregnancy)
* Singleton pregnancy with cephalic presentation
* Expected vaginal delivery
* Cervical dilation of at least 3 cm at hospital admission
* Able to communicate in Turkish and provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

* Diagnosed high-risk pregnancy (e.g., preeclampsia, placenta previa, fetal distress)
* History of cesarean section or uterine surgery
* Use of epidural, spinal anesthesia, or opioid analgesics during labor
* Visual, auditory, or olfactory impairments that may affect perception of the interventions
* Allergy or sensitivity to lavender oil
* Emergency cesarean section or any complication requiring medical intervention
* Refusal or withdrawal of consent at any stage
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

40 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Ataturk University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Fatma Aybice Karaca

Midwife

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Kütahya City Hospital

Kütahya, , Turkey (Türkiye)

Site Status

Countries

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Turkey (Türkiye)

Central Contacts

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Principal Investigator, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+90 442 231 16 00

Facility Contacts

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Fatma Aybice Karaca, MSc

Role: primary

+905350825828

Other Identifiers

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AtaU-EBE-MSI-RCT-2025

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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