The Effect of Chewing Gum in Managing Labor Pain Intensity and Anxiety Level in Primiparous Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: Fear and anxiety of the pain caused by childbirth is the main resistance of women against natural childbirth; therefore, women prefer cesarean delivery. The utilization of non-pharmacological treatments can make the childbirth process pleasurable for the mother. This study aimed to determine the effect of chewing gum on anxiety and labor pain intensity in primiparous women. Methods: This randomized controlled study was conducted in two public health centers (Babol, Iran) from May 2021 to October 2022. The participants comprised 116 primiparous women with a gestational age of 38–42 weeks and a diagnosis of labor pain. The pregnant women were subjected to block randomization and allocated to two groups of 58 patients. The intervention group received chewing gum for 20 minutes in the three stages, including dilatation of 3–4 cm, 5–7 cm, and 8–10 cm. The control group received only standard care. The tools used for data collection included demographic and obstetric characteristics, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire, and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The data were analyzed hroughtSPSS, version 22, using the Chi-square test, Repeated Measures ANOVA, paired t test, independent t-test, and ANCOVA. A significance level of less than 0.05 was considered. Results: There was a significant difference in the mean pain scores after the intervention between the two groups in dilatation of 3-4 cm (P=0.003), 5-7 cm (P<0.001), and 8-10 cm (P<0.001); also, the chewing gum group had lower pain intensity. There was a significant difference in the mean state anxiety (P<0.001) and trait anxiety (P<0.001) scores after the intervention between the two groups, and the gum chewing group had lower anxiety. Conclusion: Chewing gum is a practical alternative method for decreasing anxiety and pain intensity during childbirth in primiparous women. Trial Registration Number: IRCT20100510003902N5.