Birthing ball versus pethidine and haloperidol in satisfaction with childbirth.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects on maternal satisfaction of the use of the birthing ball as a method of pain relief compared to the subcutaneous administration of pethidine (50mg) and haloperidol (2.5mg), during the latent phase of labour.

METHOD

Randomised, unicentric, parallel and controlled clinical trial.

PARTICIPANTS

Low-risk pregnant women hospitalised in a pathological pregnancy ward at the Gregorio Marañón University General Hospital (Madrid) due to prolonged pregnancy, premature rupture of membranes, or labour prodromes.

INTERVENTION

once the patient's labour had become painful, a series of pre-established movements were implemented with a birthing ball in the intervention group, or pethidine and haloperidol were administered at the same dose subcutaneously. After the intervention and on the post-natal ward, satisfaction was measured with the Mackey Satisfaction Childbirth scale, validated in Spanish in 2016, in the first 48-72hours after delivery.

ANALYSIS

group comparisons: Student's t for continuous variables and Chi-squared for categorical variables. Significance at p<0.05.

RESULTS

The maternal satisfaction was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the comparison group, in all the domains of the scale: obstetrician (4.24/3.87), dilatation (4.02/3.35), second stage (4.27/3.67), newborn (4.72/4.43), accompaniment and comfort (4.78/4.44). There were, however, no statistically significant differences in the midwife subscale, although the scores were equally high (4.65/4.45).

CONCLUSION

Using birthing balls during the latent phase of labour increases women's satisfaction with their labour process more than administering pethidine and haloperidol during this period.