PAIN RELIFE DURING LABOR: EFFICACY OF SKIN ELECTRICAL STIMULATION (TENS, INTERFERENTIAL, HIGH VOLTAGE)

Introduction. Pain during labor is a physiologic pain cause anxity in mothers.There are many procedures to make labor painless in mothers. This study compare some of these methods.
 Methods. The study was carried out as a double blinded clinical trial on 149 pregnant women who refered to the Beheshti hospital (affiliated to IUMSHS)during 1998 to 2001 with labor pain. The term gravid women were divided randomly to five group. Control group (30 Cases),Placebo group (30 Cases), TENS (30 Cases), High voltage (26 Cases) and Interferential (30 Cases).Pain level was measured with modified Mc Gill and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) questionnaire at 4, 6, 8 and 10 Cm cervical dilation.
 Results. Difference was seen between TENS with placebo & control (P<0.05). The average time of active phase was significantly shorter (40-85 minute) in Interferential group in comparison with other groups.
 Discussion. This is probably an indication of augmentation of contraction and may be this kind of wave could be used in abnormal uterine contraction and abnormal progress of labor