The effect of music and skin contact with the newborn on pain and anxiety during episiotomy repair in primiparous women: A double-blind randomized controlled study

Objective: To show that music medicine and skin contact with the newborns can reduce pain and anxiety during episiotomy repair. Design: Double-blind randomized controlled trial Setting: The study was conducted between April and July 2020 at the private Medipol Nisa Hospital. Participants: A total of 150 primiparous pregnant women over 20 years of age who underwent vaginal delivery with episiotomy Interventions: Participants were randomized into the music medicine, skin contact with the newborn, and control groups (with no treatment). After episiotomy repair (with the designated treatment or no treatment), the State Trait Anxiety Inventory and Visual Analog Scale were used to assess anxiety and pain, respectively. Main outcome measures: Pain and anxiety experienced after episiotomy repair in the treatment and control groups. Results: Women in both treatment groups (music medicine and skin-to-skin contact) had significantly lower anxiety and pain levels than those in the control group. In particular, music medicine significantly reduced pain in comparison to skin contact with the newborn (VAS 2 3.92 ± 1.46 vs. 5.42 ± 1.73, respectively, VAS 3 2.64 ± 1.63 vs. 5.14 ± 1.77, respectively, VAS 4 1.38 ± 1.46 vs. 4.14 ± 2.04, respectively, p < 0.05). Thus, music medicine is more effective than skin-to-skin contact in reducing the pain experienced during episiotomy repair, but both treatments were equally effective in reducing anxiety (35.30 ± 6.47 vs. 36.82 ± 9.71 vs. 49.22 ± 16.95, respectively, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Both of these nonpharmacological treatments can be used along with analgesics and anxiolytics for the treatment of pain and anxiety during episiotomy repair.