الفهرس 
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to find out the effect of hydrotherapy on labor pains in intra partum women. In the context of this study hydrotherapy included the application of hot water bottle (40 – 45 0c) on the lower lumber spine and umbilical region simultaneously for duration of 5 - 30 min. , 2 – 3 times throughout the active phase of labor (>3 - < 8 cm. cervical dilatation) and during uterine contractions.
A convenient sample of (80) women were selected from Dar Esmail Maternity Hospital by using the non probability sampling technique. The inclusion criteria were : primigravidae , fullterm ( 37 to 42 weeks of gestation ) , free from any medical or obstetric risk factors & / or conditions , having a Single viable fetus in cephalic presentation , no administration of any pharmacological pain relief , women in the latent phase ( 0 -3 cm. cervical dilatation) of first stage of labor , normal delivery (no acceleration , induction or instrumentation) and willing to participate in the study . The selected subjects were equally divided into two groups: study and control groups. Each group comprised 40 randomly assigned women in their labor contractions. The control group received the routine hospital care in addition to the researcher’s physical presence, while the study group received hydrotherapy.
Two tools were used for data collection. The first tool was the Socio-demographic and clinical data sheet, which included socio-demographic characteristics, menstrual history, women’s knowledge and sources of knowledge about labor process in general & labor pains in particular , current complaints related to labor pains , women’s knowledge and sources of knowledge about natural methods to decrease labor pains . General physical and obstetric assessment was also included in this tool. Each laboring woman in both groups was individually interviewed during the latent phase (0 - 3 cm. cervical dilatation) of the first stage of labor to determine the basic data, using tool 1.
The second tool was the Visual analog scale (VAS) used for the subjective estimation of the participant’s pain intensity. This tool was used twice during the active phase of the first stage of labor: at 3 cm. cervical dilatation and at 7 cm. cervical dilatation without intervention for the control group and after the application of hydrotherapy for the study group.
A pilot study was conducted before the actual work to test and finalize the tools. Data was collected and analyzed using proper statistical test methodology. The effect of hydrotherapy on labor pains in intra partum women was then determined by comparing pain intensity within the study group and in between the study and control group before and after intervention.