Scientific evidence on non-pharmacological methods for relief of labor pain

Abstract

Objective: To identify studies on the efficacy of non-pharmacological methods in reducing labor pain in the national and international literature. Methods: Integrative review in the MEDLINE/PUBMED, SCOPUS, CINAHL, LILACS, and BDENF databases, limiting to studies published between 2013 and 2018, in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. The PICo methodology was used to build the research question and select the controlled and uncontrolled descriptors, which were combined with the "AND", "OR," and "NOT" Boolean operators. Results: A total of 19 articles were selected. The non-pharmacological methods found were: acupuncture and its core variations (acupressure and auriculotherapy) (29.17%), hydrotherapy (25%), perineal exercises with the Swiss ball (16.67%), thermal therapies (8.33%), and other methods (20.83%). Conclusion: Acupuncture and acupressure worked on both physiological aspects of pain and the subjective nature of pain. The warm bath, music therapy, aromatherapy, and breathing techniques promoted relaxation and decreased the levels of anxiety. Thermal therapies contributed to local analgesia in regions affected by pain. Exercises with the Swiss ball were important for pain relief, and the vertical position was important for labor.