Effects of Aromatherapy on Fear of Birth: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K23174
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0908:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Shonan Kamakura University of Medical Sciences
• Principal Investigator: Takahata Kaori 湘南鎌倉医療大学, 看護学部, 講師 (80818443)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 出産恐怖感 / 妊娠 / アロマセラピー / 精油 / 無作為化比較試験 / 産痛

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effects of continuous aromatherapy from the second trimester of pregnancy onward on fear of childbirth and to assess the feasibility. We developed a Japanese version of the Fear of Birth Scale (FOBS). This scale is a 2-item scale for measuring fear of childbirth.
There were 42 participants in the pilot randomized controlled trial. The Full Analysis Set (FAS) analysis included 38 participants: 20 in the intervention group and 18 in the control group. FOBS-J did not differ significantly between the intervention and control groups. However, in a within-group comparison of the intervention group, there was a significant decrease in FOBS 1 week after the start of intervention compared with at the start. No adverse events occurred.

Free Research Field

リプロダクティブヘルス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

妊産婦へのケアとして補完代替医療であるアロマセラピーは広く利用されている。出産恐怖感へのアロマセラピーの効果を無作為化比較試験で検証することで、エビデンスレベルの高い知見を得ることは学術的意義がある。また、医療者でなくとも気軽に利用可能なアロマセラピーの効果を検証し、その知見を社会に還元することには意義がある。さらに、本研究で開発したFear of Birth Scale (FOBS)日本語版は、2項目で構成されていることから、臨床の医療者が簡便に出産恐怖感を評価するのに有用である。