Effects of Aromatherapy on Childbirth

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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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: Aromatherapy oils (e.g. clary sage, peppermint, lavender, frankincense) Non-essential oil (baby oil) 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

Official Title
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Effects of Aromatherapy on Childbirth

Conditions
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Parturition, Natural Childbirth, Labor Pain

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Aromatherapy oil
* Other: None essential oil


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: women in labour and expecting a normal delivery, aged > 16 who are able to make informed consent; singleton pregnancy; spontaneous or induced labour onset; prior to elective or emergency caesarean section. Exclusion Criteria: preterm labour; pool births; scheduled caesarean section.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 16 Years
Maximum Age: 45 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Triple


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Aromatherapy group 1<br>Participants will be given essential oil consisting of (Peppermint, Lavender, Clary Sage and Frankincense) together with a swab to put the oil on. | Other: Aromatherapy oil<br>* Oil consists of Clary Sage, Peppermint, Lavender and Frankincense with drops of each mixed into a carrier oil.<br>|
| Placebo Comparator: Control group 2<br>Participants receive a bottle of non essential oil and a swab. | Other: None essential oil<br>* Baby oil<br>|
| No Intervention: Control group 3<br>Standard maternity care to measure baseline. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Whether aromatherapy can lower levels of anxiety in women in labour |  | 1 year | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Whether aromatherapy decreases analgesia use in women in labour |  | 1 year | 
| Whether aromatherapy increases her perceived quality and satisfaction of women in labour |  | 1 year | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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aromatherapy, childbirth, Obstetrics, Labour, Complementary Medicine, delivery, obstetric