Published Paper Details:

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Care of episiotomy wound begins immediately after delivery and like any other wound it has to be addressed. Frequent sitz baths can help reduce pain and keep the area clean. The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of moist heat application for reduction of post episiotomy pain after normal vaginal delivery with the objectives to assess the level of post episiotomy pain before and after moist heat application and to find out the association between moist heat application for reduction of post episiotomy pain after normal vaginal delivery among postnatal mothers with their selected demographic variables. METHODOLOGY: With an evaluative approach, a pre experimental one group pre-test post-test design was adopted for the study. The study was conducted in Guwahati Medical College and Hospital, Assam and 60 samples of postnatal mothers were selected using purposive sampling technique. The tools used for the study were demographic performa and numeric pain rating scale. The analysis was done by using descriptive and inferential statistics in terms of frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, paired �t� test and chi square test. RESULT: The study revealed that the mean post test pain (3.53) score was lower than the mean pre test score (7.92). The calculated t59=29.85 and p-value= 0.00001 was significant at p<0.05, thus research hypothesis (H1) was retained. The result of chi-square analysis revealed that there was no significant association between the pre-test level of pain score with selected demographic performa. Hence the research hypothesis was rejected. CONCLUSION: Thus based on the research findings, the researcher concluded that moist heat application was proved to be significant in reducing post episiotomy pain in normal vaginal delivery among postnatal mothers. Keeping in view of the findings of the present study the following recommendations were made: (i) a similar study can be replicated in different settings with larger sample to strengthen the study findings. (ii) a study can be done by using pain reducing herbs or agents along with moist heat application to know its effectiveness on reducing episiotomy pain.