Hydrotherapy

Research on hydrotherapy looks at water in labor, either through immersion in a bath or pool or through a shower. A systematic review and meta-analysis examines immersion in water during labour and birth. Other papers look at how water immersion relates to epidural use, at women's experiences of local hydrotherapy for those receiving epidural analgesia, and at a concept analysis of sense of coherence during water immersion.

Hydrotherapy also appears in wider comparisons. A network meta-analysis covers the efficacy and safety of several nonpharmacological interventions for pain relief, and reviews describe new labor pain options and non-pharmacological therapies in pregnancy and labor. An observational study links hydrotherapy to beta-endorphin levels in breast milk, and a case report describes a scald during shower use in a person with severe back labor.

Parents often ask whether water helps with pain and whether it is allowed at their place of birth. An educator may want slides that describe what has been studied and acknowledge that availability and policies vary. The papers below are the ones the Hub tracks on this topic.