Hypnosis for pain management during labour and childbirth

Effect of self‐hypnosis on duration of labor and maternal and neonatal outcomes: a randomized controlled trial

“…Our null‐results are in contrast to some of the randomized controlled studies, which in general found hypnosis to prevent complications and interventions during childbirth . A recent Cochrane review did not find any effect of hypnosis for outcomes such as spontaneous birth, admission to neonatal care unit, or sense of coping with labor . This is in accord with our findings showing no effects for the frequency of vaginal birth, number of interventions and neonatal outcomes.…”

“…The hypnotic state is believed to be a common and natural mental state often described as “an altered state of consciousness” characterized by markedly increased receptivity to suggestion, the capacity for modification of perception and memory, and with the potential for systematic control of a variety of usually involuntary physiological functions . It generally appears to be a safe tool when applied to healthy women . Hypnosis typically involves a hypnotist and a person being hypnotized, but can also be self‐administered, i.e.…”

Analgesia for labour: an evidence‐based insight for the obstetrician

“…During labour, hypnosis (or ‘hypnobirthing’) can be used to focus attention on calm and comforting influences, increase a woman's receptivity to positive ‘suggestions’ and reduce the awareness of external stimuli. It may help to relieve pain but also to enhance feelings of relaxation, safety and control . It is proposed that hypnosis affects the anterior cingulate gyrus of the limbic system and can suppress the neural activity between the sensory cortex and the amygdala–limbic system …”

“…Meta‐analyses disagree over the effectiveness of hypnosis; one meta‐analysis involving five RCTs showed that hypnosis was associated with a reduction in the use of pharmacological pain relief and the need for labour augmentation, while another (seven RCTs, n =1213) reported no difference in pain scores or maternal satisfaction between hypnosis and control groups …”

Analgesia for Childbirth: Modern Insights Into an Age-Old Challenge and the Quest for an Ideal Approach

“…Hypnosis is feasible for some women, but does not appear to reduce pain or analgesic supplementation [15]. Aromatherapy or bio feedback have not been adequately scientifi cally investigated, so there is a lack of sufficient evidence to recommend them [16,17].…”