title: The effect of guided imagery on the third stage of labor: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this pilot study was to test the effects of guided imagery on blood loss during the third stage of labor.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a three-group randomized controlled trial. Recruitment was conducted from a university nurse-midwifery practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty (60) women between pregnancy weeks 36 and 38 participated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The women were randomized into experimental, placebo, and control groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intrauterine pressure catheters were used to measure uterine contraction frequency and intensity. Blood loss was measured. Analysis of variance was used to compare the three groups on continuous variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete data were collected on 41 subjects. No significant differences were found among the groups on demographic or potentially confounding variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blood loss was nominally lower in the experimental group, but conclusions cannot be drawn due to the sample size.
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, TN 37240, USA. mavis.schorn@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Mavis N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Schorn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007749:Labor Stage, Third; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult