Meta-Analysis: The Effect of Prenatal Yoga and the Use of Transcutanal Electric Nerve Stimulation During Pregnancy on Labor Pain

Abstract

Background: Pregnant women are suggested to do light exercise to reduce complaints such as spasms, low back pain, hypertension and other problems. Prenatal yoga and the use of TENS are media that can help reduce pain during labor. The aimed of the study was to analyze the effect of prenatal yoga and the use of TENS during pregnancy on labor pain with a meta-analysis study. Subjects and Method: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis. The study was carried out using PRISMA flow diagrams. Search articles through journal databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct by selecting articles published in 2001-2021. The keywords used were "pregnancy" OR "pregnant" AND "pregnant women" AND "pregnant" AND "prenatal yoga" AND "Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation" AND "labor pain" AND "Randomized Controlled Trial". Article searches were performed using the PICO model. Population: Pregnant women, Intervention: prenatal yoga and TENS practice, Comparison: routine care from midwives, Outcome: labor pain. The inclusion criteria were full text articles with a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) study design, articles using English, research subjects were pregnant women, the exercises given were prenatal yoga and TENS, the effect size research method used Mean SD, articles were analyzed using the Revman 5.3 application. Results: A meta-analysis of 4 primary studies on the use of prenatal yoga on labor pain showed that the reduction in pain in postpartum women was 0.39 times lower than that of women in labor receiving routine care from a midwife (SMD=-0.39; 95% CI=-1.66 to 0.88; p=0.550) and from 5 primary studies on the use of TENS for labor pain, it showed a 0.78 times lower reduction in pain in childbirth compared to women who received routine care from a midwife (SMD= -0.78; 95% CI= -1.92). up to 0.37; p=0.190). Conclusion: The use of prenatal yoga and administration of TENS can reduce labor pain, but not statistically significant.