Non pharmacological resources: physical therapy practice in labor, a systematic review

Introduction: Labor consists of a unique and complex event that involves multiple biopsychosocial factors. The pain experienced during labor is a complex and physiological response to sensory stimuli. Objective: To realize a systematic review about the effects of physical therapy resources applied for pain relief during labor. Methods: It was performed a systematic review searching articles in the Scielo, Medline, Bireme and Lilacs databases, published until 2014. Results: Forty-nine studies were found and thirteen were selected for analysis. The median PEDro score of evidence was 8. A variety of interventions were found: massage therapy, TENS, ball exercises, immersion bath, breathing exercises, acupuncture, ambulation, mobility and shower. Conclusion: Studies suggest that physical therapy techniques researched contributed beneficially to relieve pain of women in labor. However, some findings showed inconclusive results about the effectiveness of the techniques. (AU)