NCT01051726

Effects of Aromatherapy on Childbirth

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 90 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Nottingham · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 16 Years – 45 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Aromatherapy is a form of complementary medicine that uses scented materials known as essential oils for the purpose of affecting a person's health or mood. Although aromatherapy has been used in childbirth for centuries, there are no high-quality studies examining whether the treatment works. Methodology We would like to see if aromatherapy affects a woman's experience of childbirth by lowering associated anxiety and pain. Consenting participants will be randomly allocated to one of these groups: 1. Aromatherapy oils (e.g. clary sage, peppermint, lavender, frankincense) 2. Non-essential oil (baby oil) 3. Standard maternity care We will gather primary data, e.g. if she's been in labour before and her awareness of complementary medicine. We will also conduct the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory with her, and provide her with the oil and swab if she is in groups 1 or 2 with instructions to keep the swab with the oil on it near to her. She can also put more oil on the swab as she requires. Postnatally, data will be collected from her notes regarding pain relief used, duration of labour, augmentation of labour, and any other medical interventions of note. We will also complete the anxiety scale with her once more. Before her discharge we ask the mother for any comments regarding her experience of the labour. The results from all three cohorts will then be compared. There will also be opportunity for the midwife to make any comments regarding his/her perception of the participant's labour. Finally we will hold a focus group with midwives regarding the practicalities for implementation of aromatherapy in maternity care

Conditions

• Parturition
• Natural Childbirth
• Labor Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Aromatherapy oil	Oil consists of Clary Sage, Peppermint, Lavender and Frankincense with drops of each mixed into a carrier oil.
OTHER	None essential oil	Baby oil

Timeline

• Start date: 2012-01-01
• Primary completion: 2013-07-01
• Completion: 2013-07-01
• First posted: 2010-01-18
• Last updated: 2013-01-16

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Kingdom