The Effect of Foot Reflexology on the Duration of the First Stage of Labor Among Primiparous (ผลของการนวดกดจุดสะท้อนที่เท้า ต่อเวลาในระยะที่ 1 ของการคลอดในผู้คลอดครรภ์แรก)

Abstract

This randomized controlled trail was aimed to determine the effect of foot refl exology on the duration of the fi rst stage of labor among primiparous. The participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group (N= 30 in each group). The experimental group received a session of foot refl exology on both feet for 15 minutes. The control group received an imitated with light touch on both feet for 15 minutes. The resultswere revealed that the average time of the  fi rst stage of labor of the experimental group was 593.67 minutes(± 247.58) which was less than that of the control group. 679.00 minutes (±308.28) without statistical signifi cance (t-test = -1.182; p-value = .242). The average time of the active phase of the experimental group was 138.83 minutes (± 45.56) which was less than those of the control group which the average time was 256.73 minutes (±67.93) with statistical signifi cance (t-test = -7.895; p-value = .001). The types of delivery of the two groups were not different. No maternal and infant complication was found in the group who received foot refl exology.  In conclusion, the results pointed out that foot refl exology can be applied safely to reduce the duration of the fi rst stage of labor.