Effect of Ice Pack Application on Pain Intensity among women in the Active Phase of Labor in BPKIHS

Background: Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage. Most of the women wouldn’t attempt for normal delivery as labor pain is one of the most severe pain. So, midwives should use the pain relief model in which women are given various pain-relieving options. Objective: To assess the effect of ice pack application on pain intensity among women in the active phase of labor. Methodology: An experimental study was conducted at Labor room of BPKIHS, Dharan including 50 primiparous women selected by consecutive sampling technique who had completed 37weeks of gestation in the age group between 20 to 35years. Simple randomization was done with 25 samples in each group. Women in experimental group received ice pack application covered with single layer of cotton cloth on the sacrum for 10mins in every 30minutes interval for 1hour or until delivery. Data was collected via self-report using Numeric pain scale. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA) were used to analyze data. Result: The mean age of the respondents was 22.84±2.897 in the experimental group and 24.96±4.550 in the control group. There was a significant difference between pain intensity in both the groups 1hour and 2hours after intervention at p-value 0.013, 0.045 respectively. There was no significant difference between pain intensity in both the groups before intervention, immediately and 30mins after intervention at p-value 0.614, 0.236, 0.630 respectively. Conclusion: The findings of the study showed the effectiveness of ice pack application in reducing pain during active stage of labor.