Comparison of the Effect of Pressure on Bladder-GV20 and Gallbladder-GV20 on Labor Pain Intensity among the Primiparous Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: The cycle of pain, fear, and anxiety may lead to prolonged labor and cesarean section. Acupressure is one of the methods for pain relief. Aim: Therefore,this study aimed to compare the effect of acupressure on bladder-GV20 and gallbladder-GV20 points on the labor pain in primiparous women. Method: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 158 primiparous women, who referred to the Um Al-Benin Specialized Women Hospital, Mashhad, Iran in 2017. The first stage of labor included five and four pressure cycles on acupressure points in bladder and gallbladder in the intervention groups 1 and 2, respectively. In the second stage of labor one pressure cycle on the same points were completed. The control group only received the routine cares. The duration of uterine contractions was assessed by touching the uterus apex. Moreover, the pain intensity was evaluated by the visual analog scale. All the data were analyzed by the SPSS version 25 Results: The mean pain intensity in both stages of the intervention groups was significantly different from the control group and was significantly lower in the gallbladder group (P<0.001). The mean duration of contractions in the first stage was significantly different between the three groups (P<0.001). Implications for Practice: According to the findings of this study,pressure on bladder-GV20 and gallbladder-GV20 points can attenuate pain intensity in the first and second stages of labor. Moreover, this technique prolongs the duration of contractions in the first stage of labor. Consequently, this method can be recommended as a complementary approach in labor.