Immersive Virtual Reality Improves Labor and Delivery Experience for Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Autor: Elif Gizem Carus, Nazli Albayrak, Halit Mert Bildirici, Selen Gur Ozmen
Rok vydání: 2021
Popis: Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) in laboring women on patient satisfaction as a distractive tool and pain relief.Methods: Randomized, controlled clinical trial with 42 laboring women allocated to VR intervention and control groups. Among the VR group, patient satisfaction with the use of VR was assessed by a Virtual Reality Satisfaction Survey and questioning whether they would choose VR in future labor. As a primary outcome patient satisfaction scores regarding the overall labor and delivery experience were compared between the two groups. A secondary outcome was pain assessed by a visual pain rating scale in the early and active phases of labor in both groups. Psychometric information was also collected from participants in each group using 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 survey revealed a mean satisfaction score of 89.6 ± 10.8 out of a maximum of 100. 20 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 overall labor and delivery experience. The mean pain score pre-VR was 2.6±1.2 compared to 2.0±1.3, post-VR, respectively (pConclusion: Immersive VR application during labor was feasible and associated with higher patient satisfaction based on our study. VR also improved pain scores in early labor before epidural placement. Immersive VR may find a place as an adjunct in Labor and Delivery Units to improve the lengthy labor experience for women. Larger studies are needed to confirm these observations. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05032456 / 02/09/2021https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05032456
Databáze: OpenAIRE