EFFECTS OF

DANCE AND
MUSIC ON
PAIN AND
FEAR DURING
CHILDBIRTH
https://www.henryford.com/blog/2019/06/managing-labor-pain
Isabel Wirth
Dr. Hitchcock and Professor Welch
NURS 368 Nursing Care of the Childbearing Family
10 March 2021
Purpose Purpose: to test the effects of dance and music

of the and music alone on pain and fear during the

active phase of labor among nulliparous
women.

Study
 Single-blind, randomized,
METHODOLOGY/ controlled study
DESIGN OF THE
STUDY Inclusion and exclusion
criteria

93 total participants

Two intervention groups and

one control group
 How Study Was Done
Dance and music Music Standard Nursing Care

• Assess fear and pain

• Assess fear and pain • Assess fear and pain
• 30 minutes of dancing to
• 30 minutes of music and • Standard nursing care
music and standard nursing
standard nursing care • Assess fear and pain 30
care
• Assess fear and pain right minutes after initial
• Assess fear and pain right
after intervention, 30 assessment, 60 minutes after,
after intervention, 30 minutes
minutes after, and 60 90 minutes after
after, and 60 minutes after
minutes after

VAS  perceived pain

W-DEQ  fear before and after
childbirth
 • Standard nursing care during childbirth
participants had significantly higher
scores on the VAS and W-DEQ

Description of • VAS scores were significantly higher

at the 60 and 90-minute assessment
than the initial and 30-minute
Findings assessment

• Showed that dance and music and

music by itself lessened perceived pain
and fear about childbirth
IMPLICATIONS
FOR NURSING • Non-pharmacological
PRACTICE
• Cost-effective, non-invasive, and safe

• Promotes comfort and nurse-patient

relationship

HTTPS://WWW.MUSICMOTION.COM/TRIMMERS-PUNCH-OUTS/FOIL-MUSIC-
NOTES-LARGE.ASP
STRENGTHS LIMITATIONS

• One hospital
• Randomized the interventions to
• Nulliparous women
the participants
• Time of active phase
• Desire to aid in women’s care
• Added researcher support during dance
during childbirth
and music interventions
• 3 different groups

• Non-pharmacologic interventions
 GROUP DISCUSSION

1. Do you think non-pharmacological interventions, such as music or dance,

should be promoted more in the hospital setting?

2. Would you want these interventions if you were in labor? Would you want

calming or motivational music?

 REFERENCES
Gönenç, I.M. & Dikmen, H.A. (2020). Effects of dance and music on pain and

fear during childbirth. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal

Nursing. 49(2), 144-153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2019.12.005

THANK YOU!