Palestinian Medical and Pharmaceutical Journal (Pal. Med. Pharm. J.)

Article info

In Press

Keywords

• Anxiety
• Spinal Anesthesia
• Cesarean Delivery.Maternal Well-Being
• And Virtual Reality Therapy
• Non-Pharmacological Treatments

Abstract

Background: Perioperative anxiety and pain are common occurrences among primigravida women who are under spinal anesthesia during cesarean delivery, and may adversely impact the maternal health and experience of birth. Virtual reality (VR) has become a valuable non-pharmacological intervention for addressing anxiety during clinical procedures. Aim: The present research was carried out to determine whether virtual reality decreases perioperative anxiety and enhances the pain perception in the primigravida undergoing cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. Design: a quasi-experimental research design was adopted. Sample: A purposive sample of 154 primigravida women who undergiong cesarean delivery were recruited and equally divided into two groups: the control group (n = 77) and the study group (n = 77). Setting: The operating room and postpartum unit at Obstetrics and Gynecological Hospital, 6 October University. Tools: three tools were used: 1) A structured interviewing questionnaire, 2) A validated instrument with acceptable reliability, the Numerical Analog Scale (NAS, and 3) the Anxiety Rating Scale. The VR intervention was delivered using a head-mounted display for 20 minutes, beginning at the start of skin suturing. Participants viewed immersive calming visual content accompanied by either Qur’an recitation or soothing music, based on their preference. Results During skin suturing, virtual reality was found to significantly lower anxiety levels compared to the control group (2.36 ± 1.17 vs. 7.74 ± 1.15), as well as at 2, 4, and 6 hours after the procedure (all p < 0.05). In contrast, there was no notable difference in pain scores between the groups either during or following the surgery (e.g., during skin suturing: 0.58 ± 1.16 vs. 0.86 ± 1.39; p > 0.05). Conclusion: VR can be considered an efficient, safe, and inexpensive non-pharmacological intervention for reducing perioperative anxiety in primigravida women undergoing cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia. But with limited evidence for pain reduction, Recommendations: Integrating virtual reality (VR) into obstetric anesthesia protocols as a supportive intervention for primigravida women undergoing cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia may enhance maternal psychological well-being. Training healthcare providers and promoting further research are key to maximizing its effectiveness and broader application.

معلومات المقال

قيد النشر

الكلمات الإفتتاحية

• Anxiety
• Spinal Anesthesia
• Cesarean Delivery.Maternal Well-Being
• And Virtual Reality Therapy
• Non-Pharmacological Treatments

الملخص

Background: Perioperative anxiety and pain are common occurrences among primigravida women who are under spinal anesthesia during cesarean delivery, and may adversely impact the maternal health and experience of birth. Virtual reality (VR) has become a valuable non-pharmacological intervention for addressing anxiety during clinical procedures. Aim: The present research was carried out to determine whether virtual reality decreases perioperative anxiety and enhances the pain perception in the primigravida undergoing cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. Design: a quasi-experimental research design was adopted. Sample: A purposive sample of 154 primigravida women who undergiong cesarean delivery were recruited and equally divided into two groups: the control group (n = 77) and the study group (n = 77). Setting: The operating room and postpartum unit at Obstetrics and Gynecological Hospital, 6 October University. Tools: three tools were used: 1) A structured interviewing questionnaire, 2) A validated instrument with acceptable reliability, the Numerical Analog Scale (NAS, and 3) the Anxiety Rating Scale. The VR intervention was delivered using a head-mounted display for 20 minutes, beginning at the start of skin suturing. Participants viewed immersive calming visual content accompanied by either Qur’an recitation or soothing music, based on their preference. Results During skin suturing, virtual reality was found to significantly lower anxiety levels compared to the control group (2.36 ± 1.17 vs. 7.74 ± 1.15), as well as at 2, 4, and 6 hours after the procedure (all p < 0.05). In contrast, there was no notable difference in pain scores between the groups either during or following the surgery (e.g., during skin suturing: 0.58 ± 1.16 vs. 0.86 ± 1.39; p > 0.05). Conclusion: VR can be considered an efficient, safe, and inexpensive non-pharmacological intervention for reducing perioperative anxiety in primigravida women undergoing cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia. But with limited evidence for pain reduction, Recommendations: Integrating virtual reality (VR) into obstetric anesthesia protocols as a supportive intervention for primigravida women undergoing cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia may enhance maternal psychological well-being. Training healthcare providers and promoting further research are key to maximizing its effectiveness and broader application.