Studies presented by a group of innovative obstetricians and gynaecologists, and researchers at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Grapevine, Texas may bear good news for women about to give birth.
The new presentation showed that the use of Virtual Reality Medical Simulations during labour can reduce the pain during contractions and birth. Can Virtual Reality Reduce Childbirth Pain?
Using VR to Reduce the Pain of Contraction and Labor: The First Study
The presentation involved data from a half-hour study on 40 women in hospitals about to give birth. According to the study, those who used VR headsets reported feeling less pain during the contractions and also during birth. The VR headsets provided positive messages and relaxing scenes.
The study headed by Dr Melissa Wong, OBGYN at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles used Samsung smartphones coupled with Samsung Gear VR headsets. They leveraged a new project from the software developer, Applied VR called Labor Bliss. It is a brand new visualization that works seamlessly on Samsung Gear VR headsets.
According to Dr Melissa Wong, the lead researcher of the team studying the effects of VR during labour and childbirth, “the goal is to help women in labour and not just to get them through only 30 minutes of labour”. The team is currently considering using VR in a medical study for longer periods.
The test recruited women in hospitals, who were about to give birth and had not taken any pain medication. The team exclusively chose women who were to give birth for the very first time. The VR headsets used were very similar to those used in VR simulation training.
The researchers referred to an analogue pain scale (1 to 10) for the assessment of pain during the study.
The participants scored between 4 and 7 on the pain scale while having contractions every 5 minutes apart. The group with access to VR headsets reported feeling less pain. These women showed a reduction in pain level by 0.52 on the scale after the use of VR for 15 minutes at a time.
The group that did not receive the VR headsets reported an increase in pain by an average of 0.58 during the same time. Wong’s team also noted that this group of women had higher heart rates, although their blood pressure remained similar to those in the other group.
Reduction of Pain During Childbirth Using VR: A Second study
AppliedVR technology can offer an immersive experience to women in labour and help them focus on the positive messages played via the headset. According to reports from the randomized control trial, the average pain score decreased from an average of 2.74 (±2.73) to 2.35 (±2.67).
In the randomized control trial, the hospitalized women in labour we in two groups – one with VR headsets and one without access to VR. In this particular study involving 20 women, the researchers appointed nurses to assess the pain score of all participants every 4 hours and 1-hour intervals during latent labour and active labour respectively.
The group with access to VR used the equipment for 15 minute periods and the delivery and labour nurses assessed their pain scores before and after the use of the VR headsets.
The nurses kept meticulous records of all types of analgesia and dosage of the same during the labour. According to the same study report, only 2 VR patients used pain medication (analgesics) during their labour, in contrast to 4 patients from the group with no access to VR. The study shows that the Effects of Virtual Reality in medications are imposing.
100% of the participants agreed that VR had helped them at certain points during labour. A whopping 77% reported that VR helped them ameliorate the pain of contraction and birth. Only 33% reported that VR was only helpful during the early contractions until the pain became very intense. Almost 80% reported that they would again use VR during future labour.
How Can VR Contribute To Obstetrics And Gynecology In The Near Future?
“The VR studies on women in labour have significant credibility”, stated Dr Michael Foley, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Arizona, Phoenix. He further said, “VR may emerge as an effective alternative to narcotics, nitrous oxide and epidurals during labour to counter the pain”.
Very soon, we might have access to technology that takes cues from the woman’s body or movements to change the visuals and messages. The integration of AI with VR could enhance the calming and analgesic effects of VR during early and advanced labour. According to Dr Wong, “using electrical signals of contractions to change the virtual reality scenes would be super cool and effective” for the women in labour!
While more research using updated headsets and a wide range of VR content is necessary to see which films or experiences work the best for women in labour to reduce their pain and discomfort, at the moment, it is safe to say that these studies hold a promise of bringing a new non-medicated method of pain reduction during labour and childbirth.
