The effects of virtual reality technology in maternity delivery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

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Nuo Xu

Nanjing Medical University, China

: Androl Gynecol: Curr Res

Abstract

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Statement of the Problem: Childbirth is considered a critical traumatic event throughout our lives, positively or negatively impacting the mother's physiology, psychology, and even the whole family. Adverse birth experiences, such as labor pain, anxiety, and fear can negatively impact the mother. Studies had shown that the immersive nature of VR can distract attention from pain and increase focus on interventions for pain relief. However, the existing studies that applied VR to maternal delivery were still in their infancy and showed disparate results, and the small sample size is not representative, so this review analyzed the effects of VR in labor, such as on maternal pain and anxiety, with a view to providing a basis for future applications. Method: Through a comprehensive search of the databases, two researchers independently conducted literature screening, quality evaluation, meta-analysis and systematic review to explore the effectiveness of VR technology in labor. Findings: Using VR could relieve pain during labor and active period, reduce anxiety and improve satisfaction, but the effect on the duration of first and second stage of labor was not statistically significant. Conclusion & Significance: We aggregated available studies showing that VR technology can help reduce labor pain and anxiety as well as enhance maternal satisfaction. However, high heterogeneity due to differences in outcome indicators and measurement methods, extensive experimental validation is still needed.

Biography

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