Effects of peanut ball use on perceived labor pain, fatigue, and mother’s perception of childbirth: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of using peanut balls on labor pain, fatigue, and the mother’s perception of labor. Methods: This is a randomized controlled intervention trial. Data were collected from the Intervention (peanut ball) and Control groups between July 2022 and June 2023, with 45 pregnant women in each group. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Visual Analog Scale-Pain (VAS-P), the Visual Analog Scale for Fatigue (VAS-F), and the Maternal Perception of Childbirth Scale (MPCS). Results: The VAS-P scores of the intervention group were statistically significantly lower than those of the control group 15 min after peanut ball application (p =.000). Immediately after and 15 min after peanut ball application, the mean fatigue score of the Intervention group was statistically significantly lower than that of the Control group (p =.000). There was no statistically significant difference between the mean duration of labor minutes in the two groups (p =.177). The mean MPCS scores of the intervention group and control groups were 62.73 + 7.30 and 47.17 + 9.12, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (p =.000). Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that the use of peanut balls during labor can effectively reduce labor pain and fatigue in pregnant women, without affecting the duration of labor. Additionally, the use of peanut balls has been shown to positively influence the perception of labor among pregnant women. Therefore, it is recommended that midwives educate pregnant women about the use of peanut balls during labor and provide support in their use.