Scope and Delimitation
The study covered primigravid women in their first stage of labor at Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital. The primigravid women who will receive therapeutic massage during the first stage of labor will be the experimental group and those primigravid women who will not receive therapeutic massage will be the control group.
Massage is initiated when the women achieve a 4 cm dilatation of the cervix and will be provided during the active phase of the first stage of labor. It will only be performed while the women are experiencing contractions. They will be placed in a side-lying position and lotion will be applied prior to the massage. Sliding massage will be carried out in the lumbar area of the back using gentle pressure. Gentle pressure will also be applied in the sacral area.
This study aims to identify the effectiveness of therapeutic massage in reducing the pain they experience during the first stage of labor. It also aims to determine the significant difference between the level of pain of primigravid women in the experimental and control group during the said stage.