Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by several shortcomings in study quality, and by imprecise results (limited study size for each comparison and wide confidence intervals).
A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 15 studies with a total of 1731 subjects. Relaxation was associated with a reduction in pain intensity during the latent phase (mean difference (MD) -1.25, 95% CI -1.97 to -0.53; 1 trial, n=40) and inconclusively during active phase of labour (MD -1.08, 95% CI -2.57 to 0.41; 4 trials, n=271, high heterogeneity). There was a trend towards increased satisfaction with pain relief (RR 8.00, 95% CI 1.10 to 58.19; 1 trial, n=40), but not for childbirth experience. One trial evaluating mindfulness found an increase in sense of control compared with usual care (MD 31.30, 95% CI 1.61 to 60.99, n=26).
Date of latest search: 2018-05-02
Primary/Secondary Keywords