Effectiveness of Acupressure on Afterpains Among Postnatal Mothers in a Selected Hospital at Coimbatore

Acupressure is a non-pharmacological method for managing afterpains effectively in postnatal mothers after vaginal delivery. This study aimed to identify the effectiveness of acupressure on afterpains among postnatal mothers after vaginal delivery at Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, Coimbatore. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group research design was adopted for this study. Non – probability purposive sampling technique was used and 30 postnatal mothers undergoing vaginal delivery at Sri Ramakrishna hospital were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Every alternative sample was assigned to experimental group [n=15] and Control group [n=15]. Physiological parameters were assessed at the beginning of each day before intervention and pretest was assessed by using a numerical pain rating scale. Acupressure was applied for 2 minutes before breastfeeding and the post-test was assessed immediately after each intervention for five times a day from the onset of afterpains till 72 hours after vaginal delivery and at the end of each day after intervention physiological parameters were assessed. The mean and standard deviation of afterpains among postnatal mothers in the experimental group with pre-test and post-test were 7.32, 0.583 and 0.55, 1.34 respectively with a mean difference of 6.77. It proves that there is an effect of acupressure on the afterpains among the postnatal mothers in the experimental group (t=46.69, p=0.001). Student ‘t’ test was used to compare the post-test afterpains among experimental and control group postnatal mothers. It was identified that the mean and standard deviation of afterpains among postnatal mothers in the experimental and control group was 0.55, 1.34 and 6.5, 0.479 with a mean difference of 5.95 respectively. It proves that there is an effect of acupressure on the afterpains among the postnatal mothers in the experimental group. (t = 44.07, p=0.001). Hence acupressure is a pain-reducing therapy. It can be incorporated in the routine nursing care in the postnatal period and that can help minimize the afterpains for postnatal mothers and improves the comfort level and bonding between postnatal mother and baby.