Immersive virtual reality on childbirth experience for women: a randomized controlled trial
Abstract Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (VR) on patient satisfaction as a distractive tool and pain relief among laboring women. Methods This was a randomized, controlled clinical trial with 42 laboring women allocated to VR intervention and control groups. Amon...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2022-04-01
|
| Series: | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04598-y |
| _version_ | 1818523649567621120 |
|---|---|
| author | Elif Gizem Carus Nazli Albayrak Halit Mert Bildirici Selen Gur Ozmen |
| author_facet | Elif Gizem Carus Nazli Albayrak Halit Mert Bildirici Selen Gur Ozmen |
| author_sort | Elif Gizem Carus |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (VR) on patient satisfaction as a distractive tool and pain relief among laboring women. Methods This was a randomized, controlled clinical trial with 42 laboring women allocated to VR intervention and control groups. Among women in the VR group, patient satisfaction with the use of VR was assessed by a Virtual Reality Satisfaction Survey, measured by a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score and evaluated by questioning them about whether they would choose VR in future labor. As a primary outcome, patient satisfaction scores regarding the overall childbirth experience were compared between women in the two groups. A secondary outcome was pain assessed by a visual pain rating scale in the early and active phases of labor in women in both groups. Psychometric information was also collected from participants in each group using the Beck Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory. Results We observed a high level of patient satisfaction with the use of immersive VR during labor. The VAS revealed a mean satisfaction score of 87.7 ± 12.9 out of a maximum of 100. Twenty out of 21 (95%) women in the VR group stated that they would like to use VR again in future labor. VR improved pain scores in early labor and contributed positively to the overall childbirth experience. The mean pain score pre-VR was 2.6 ± 1.2 compared to 2.0 ± 1.3 post-VR (p < 0.01). Anxiety and depression scores were similar in participants in the intervention and control groups (p = 0.103 and p = 0.13, respectively). Conclusion Immersive VR application during labor was associated with higher patient satisfaction based on our study findings. VR also improved participants’ pain scores in early labor before epidural administration. Immersive VR may find a place as an adjunct in labor and delivery units to improve lengthy labor experiences for women. Studies with larger groups of participants are needed to confirm these observations. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05032456 |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T05:47:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-359792ba1a824574a5f196815df5b5b0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2393 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T05:47:27Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| spelling | doaj.art-359792ba1a824574a5f196815df5b5b02022-12-22T01:18:56ZengBMCBMC Pregnancy and Childbirth1471-23932022-04-012211810.1186/s12884-022-04598-yImmersive virtual reality on childbirth experience for women: a randomized controlled trialElif Gizem Carus0Nazli Albayrak1Halit Mert Bildirici2Selen Gur Ozmen3Graduate School of Health Sciences, Neuroscience Master’s Program, Bahcesehir UniversityDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar UniversityAmerican Robert College of IstanbulDepartment of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty Of Health Sciences, Bahcesehir UniversityAbstract Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (VR) on patient satisfaction as a distractive tool and pain relief among laboring women. Methods This was a randomized, controlled clinical trial with 42 laboring women allocated to VR intervention and control groups. Among women in the VR group, patient satisfaction with the use of VR was assessed by a Virtual Reality Satisfaction Survey, measured by a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score and evaluated by questioning them about whether they would choose VR in future labor. As a primary outcome, patient satisfaction scores regarding the overall childbirth experience were compared between women in the two groups. A secondary outcome was pain assessed by a visual pain rating scale in the early and active phases of labor in women in both groups. Psychometric information was also collected from participants in each group using the Beck Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory. Results We observed a high level of patient satisfaction with the use of immersive VR during labor. The VAS revealed a mean satisfaction score of 87.7 ± 12.9 out of a maximum of 100. Twenty out of 21 (95%) women in the VR group stated that they would like to use VR again in future labor. VR improved pain scores in early labor and contributed positively to the overall childbirth experience. The mean pain score pre-VR was 2.6 ± 1.2 compared to 2.0 ± 1.3 post-VR (p < 0.01). Anxiety and depression scores were similar in participants in the intervention and control groups (p = 0.103 and p = 0.13, respectively). Conclusion Immersive VR application during labor was associated with higher patient satisfaction based on our study findings. VR also improved participants’ pain scores in early labor before epidural administration. Immersive VR may find a place as an adjunct in labor and delivery units to improve lengthy labor experiences for women. Studies with larger groups of participants are needed to confirm these observations. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05032456https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04598-yLaborImmersive Virtual RealityPainNonpharmacologic TreatmentAnxietyDepression |
| spellingShingle | Elif Gizem Carus Nazli Albayrak Halit Mert Bildirici Selen Gur Ozmen Immersive virtual reality on childbirth experience for women: a randomized controlled trial BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Labor Immersive Virtual Reality Pain Nonpharmacologic Treatment Anxiety Depression |
| title | Immersive virtual reality on childbirth experience for women: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_full | Immersive virtual reality on childbirth experience for women: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_fullStr | Immersive virtual reality on childbirth experience for women: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Immersive virtual reality on childbirth experience for women: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_short | Immersive virtual reality on childbirth experience for women: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_sort | immersive virtual reality on childbirth experience for women a randomized controlled trial |
| topic | Labor Immersive Virtual Reality Pain Nonpharmacologic Treatment Anxiety Depression |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04598-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elifgizemcarus immersivevirtualrealityonchildbirthexperienceforwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT nazlialbayrak immersivevirtualrealityonchildbirthexperienceforwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT halitmertbildirici immersivevirtualrealityonchildbirthexperienceforwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT selengurozmen immersivevirtualrealityonchildbirthexperienceforwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial |