2021, Vol. 4, Issue 1, Part A

author(s)
Malathi D, Dr. Gandhimathi M and Dr. A Geethalakshmi

abstract
Labour is the process by which the fetus and placenta are expelled from the uterus and the vagina into the external environment (Baskar, 2015). Successful labour depends on four integrated concepts as Passage, Passenger, Power, and Psychological outlook (Pillitteri & Pillitteri, 2010). The onset of labour is characterized by true labour pain, show, Dilatation of cervix and formation of the bag of fore waters (Baskar, 2015). The objectives of this study were to: (1) assess the level of fatigue and coping during the first stage of labour among primi parturient mothers in the intervention group and control group (2) find the effect of foot reflexology on fatigue during the first stage of labour among primi parturient mothers in the intervention group and control group, and (3) determine the effect of foot reflexology on coping during the first stage of labour among primi parturient mothers. The study was conducted among 30 primi parturient mothers in Kasturba Gandhi Hospital for Women and Children, Chennai District, Tamil Nadu.The study finding revealed that in post-test 1 the mean fatigue score in the intervention group was 61.00 which is less than the control group 85.33 (mean difference 24.33) which supports that foot reflexology is effective in fatigue reduction (P< 0.05). In post-test 2 the mean fatigue score in the intervention group was 48.80 and the control group was 91.86 (mean difference 43.06) which was significant at P< 0.05. In post-test 1 the mean coping score in the intervention group was 156.86 which is more than the control group 128.20 (mean difference 28.66), which revealed that foot reflexology is effective in promoting coping at P< 0.05. Similarly, in post-test 2 the mean coping score in the intervention group and control group was 168.20 and 133.46 respectively (mean difference 34.74), which was significantly higher than the control group at P< 0.05. The study concludes that foot reflexology is effective to reduce fatigue and promoting coping during the first stage of labour among primi parturient mothers.