The effectiveness of breathing patterns to control maternal anxiety during the first period of labor: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: Assess the efficacy of the breathing patterns during the active phase of the first stage of labor for maternal anxiety.

DESING: Randomised trial with two treatment arms and intention-to-treat analysis.

PARTICIPANTS: One Hundred and forty patient in active labour, age between 12 and 40 years old and gestational age between 37 and 41 weeks. The breathing patterns waere made depending on the dilation phase and intensity of contraction, while the control group received routine care service.

RESULTS: There was no difference between groups two hours after the first evaluation regarding to anxiety (MD 0.3 CI95% -4.2 to 4.8), pain (MD 0.0 CI95% -0.8 to 0.7), fatigue (MD -0.5 CI95% -1.4 to 2.5) and maternal satisfaction (MD 0.9 CI95% -0.1 to 2.0).

CONCLUSIONS: The study results showed that the use of breathing patterns during the first period of labour were not effective to control anxiety, pain, fatigue and maternal satisfaction.