The Effect of Foot Reflexology on Pain and Comfort During Labor: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background/

Objectives

Effective labor pain management and labor comfort are essential for a positive birth experience. Evidence regarding the effects of foot reflexology on labor pain and labor comfort remains limited. Therefore, this randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of foot reflexology on labor pain as the primary outcome and labor comfort as the secondary outcome.

Methods

This prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted between February 2024 and February 2025 in the obstetrics and gynecology unit of a tertiary training and research hospital and was reported in accordance with the CONSORT 2025 guidelines. Seventy pregnant women were randomly assigned to the reflexology (n = 35) and control (n = 35) groups. Data were collected using structured forms, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the Childbirth Comfort Questionnaire (CCQ) and analyzed using appropriate statistical procedures, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

Results

Post-intervention pain scores were significantly lower in the reflexology group during the active (p = 0.009) and transition phases (p < 0.001). Complementary linear mixed-effects analyses showed significant group × time interactions for pain across the latent, active, and transition phases (all p < 0.001), indicating greater pre-to-post reductions in the reflexology group. The standardized post-intervention between-group differences were small, moderate, and large in the latent, active, and transition phases, respectively. Labor comfort was significantly higher in the reflexology group during the latent (p = 0.008) and active phases (p = 0.044), and calm and controlled behavior was observed more frequently in the reflexology group (p = 0.03).

Conclusions

Foot reflexology was associated with reduced labor pain and improved comfort during the first stage of labor. Repeated application across the latent, active, and transition phases showed differential reductions in pain across labor phases, suggesting that foot reflexology may be a feasible supportive non-pharmacological intervention during labor.