The effects of interferential electrical stimulation current on labor pain and duration of active phase of labor in primiparous women: A randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT

Background

Labor pain is one of the most severe pains experienced by a woman during her life. Interferential current (IFC) is a type of transcutaneous electrical stimulation that can reduce pain, especially deep ones.

Objective

This randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) aimed to study the effects of quadripolar IFC on pain and the duration of the active phase of labor in primiparous women.

Method

In this RCT, 60 primiparous women were randomized into two groups of IFC and sham IFC. The IFC group received IFC in two periods. The sham group received sham IFC. Primary outcomes were labor pain in different times of active phase and duration of active phase, and secondary outcomes were delivery satisfaction; the number of infants transferred to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), fetal heart rate (FHR) disorders, Apgar score, partograph variables, and adverse side effects were recorded.

Result

Between-group changes showed a significant decrease in labor pain during the active phase in the IFC group compared to the sham IFC group (mean difference (MD) = −0.95; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = −1.35 to −0.55; P < .001). The mean of active phase duration was significantly shorter in the IFC group than in the sham IFC group (MD = −38.25; 95% CI = −62.84 to −13.67; P = .003).

Conclusion

This study showed the effectiveness of interferential electrical stimulation during labor to reduce pain and duration of the active phase, which can be valuable in improving the quality of care and encouraging natural childbirth.

KEYWORDS:

• Electrical stimulation
• electrotherapy
• interferential current
• labor
• natural birth

Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.

.Special thanks to our participants and medical staff for their kindly cooperation in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.