TY - JOUR T1 - The effect of Chamomile essential oil on reducing anxiety in nulliparous women during the first stage of childbirth TT - JF - nmj JO - nmj VL - 17 IS - 0 UR - http://nmj.goums.ac.ir/article-1-1226-en.html Y1 - 2020 SP - 0 EP - 0 KW - Chamomile KW - Anxiety KW - Complementary Medicine KW - Aromatherapy N2 - Background: Anxiety is the most common emotional reaction of women during childbirth. Anti-anxiety effects of Chamomile are documented thanks to flavonoids compounds, Apigenin, and phyto-estrogen which influence central nervous system by bounding to benzodiazepine receptors and lead to reducing anxiety. According to the importance of reducing anxiety, this study aims to evaluate the effect of chamomile essential oil on reducing anxiety in nulliparous women during the first stage of childbirth. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was performed on 130 nulliparous women (65in intervention group and 65 in control group) who were qualified and referred to Abhar Emdadi Hospital (Zanjan, Iran) in 2013. The researcher referred to labor ward of Abhar Emdadi Hospital after determining the validity and reliability of the study, receiving ethics committee approval at No.400/4013, and registering it in Iranian Registry Clinical Trial Center at No.IRCT201308066807N7. Sampling was conducted in Abhar Emdadi Hospital from September to March 2013. The samples were assigned to case or control group according to the days divided by pockets A and B; qualified nulliparous women were placed in one of the groups in random days. In aromatherapy group, 2 drops of chamomile essential oil, and in control group, 2 drops of distilled water were spilled on sterile gauze. They were inhaled by the patients at a distance of 7-10 cm from their noses and prescription of aroma and distilled water was repeated every half an hour. At first, the anxiety level was measured with researcher by using Spielberger questionnaire at dilatations of 3-4 and 8-10 cm and effacement of 40-50 and 70-100. In all processes the samples were positioned on the bed in the left lateral position.The tools for data collection included midwifery and demographic information checklist, and Spielberg’s questionnaire. Independent t-test, for normal quantitative data and Mann-Whitney and Chi-square tests for not normal quantitative data, were used to analyze the collected data. They were analyzed using SPSS 22. The significance level was considered 0.05. Results: At baseline, both intervention and control groups showed moderate anxiety. But after intervention, the anxiety level in intervention group at dilatations of 3-4 and 8-10 cm was (46.12 ± 3.70) and (39 ± 3.70) respectively which in turn portrayed a significant decrease (P <0.005) in comparison with control group at dilatations of 3-4 and 8-10 cm which was (60.00 ± 4.3) and (61.24 ± 4.61) respectively. Conclusions: The findings of this study showed that aromatherapy by chamomile essential oil reduces the anxiety level during childbirth; therefore, it is recommended in order to reduce anxiety. M3 ER -