EFFECTS OF AROMATHERAPY FOR SELF-CARE DURING PREGNANCY

Abstract

Stress reduction care is important for pregnant women to decrease obstetric complications and children's health problems after birth. We investigated the long-term effects during pregnancy of daily self-care with aromatherapy using essential oils containing linalyl acetate and linalool. We randomly assigned 16 healthy pregnant women into an aromatherapy group and a control group. Nine participants were assigned to the aromatherapy group and seven participants to the control group. Intervention was started at 28 weeks of pregnancy and the results were assessed at 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy as well as during childbirth. We conducted a comprehensive assessment using State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) as subjective questionnaire surveys and autonomic nervoqs activity from heart-rate variability as objective physiological indicators as well as the results of childbirth. The STAI traits showed significant aromatherapy effects (p＜0.05) for reducing anxiety. Moreover, a dose- response relationship was observed which demonstrated a significant difference (p＜0.016) within the aromatherapy group for the relaxing effects by VAS. This study revealed that it is effective to reconrmend self-care using aromatherapy with essential oils containing linalyl acetate and linalool for the purpose of reducing anxiety and providing relaxation over the long term during pregnancy. However, it is necessary to conduct further studies with an increased number of participants to investigate the effects on the autonomic nervous system and the effects on childbirth.