[Effects of delivery nursing care using essential oils on delivery stress response, anxiety during labor, and postpartum status anxiety].
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to investigate the effect of delivery nursing care using essential oils on labor stress response, labor anxiety and postpartum status anxiety for primipara.


METHODS
This study used nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects of this experiment consisted of forty eight primipara with single gestation, full term, & uncomplicated pregnancies. Twenty four primipra were in the experimental and control group each. Their mean age was 27.9 years old, their mean gestation period 279.9 days. As a treatment, delivery nursing care using essential oils was applied by nurses. Data collected epinephrine, norepinephrine, anxiety during labor. In the 24 hours after birth, the data for the postpartum mother's status anxiety was collected. Data was analyzed by t-test, repeated measures ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U test, & Wilcoxon signed ranks test with SPSS Program.


RESULTS
Plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine were significantly low in the experimental group (P=0.001, P=0.033, respectively). There was no significant difference between the two groups in anxiety during labor and postpartum mother's status anxiety.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that delivery nursing care using essential oils could be effective in decreasing plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine. But, that could not be verified in decreasing mother's anxiety.
Hur
Myung-Haeng
MH
School of Nursing, Eulji University, Daejeon City, Korea.
Cheong
NamYoun
N
Yun
HyeSung
H
Lee
MiKyoung
M
Song
Youngshin
Y
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019341:Aromatherapy; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000451:nursing*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000523:psychology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000517:prevention & control*
D009822:Oils, Volatile; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine