Introduction

The non-stress test (NST) is commonly recommended for assessing fetal wellbeing. Anxiety in pregnancy can affect NST results and thus rates of false-positive results can increase. This study aimed to explore whether lavender oil inhalation administered in conjunction with music therapy is more effective in reducing anxiety and NST results during pregnancy than the use of lavender oil alone.

Methods

This randomized clinical trial included 195 primiparous participants who were randomly assigned either to a control group, or one of two intervention groups receiving 1) lavender oil inhalation, 2) lavender oil inhalation and music therapy. Twenty minutes prior undertaking the NST, participants in the intervention groups inhaled four drops of 10% lavender oil. In the lavender/aromatherapy-music group, nature sounds were also played through earphones. Prior to the intervention and 20-minutes following the NST, state anxiety was measured as the primary outcome using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). NST results were assessed as secondary outcomes. For blinding, the data gathering was done by the persons who were unaware of the intervention.

Results

The mean number of fetal heart rate accelerations, fetal movements, and the number of reactive NST results were more statistically significant in the two intervention groups than in the control group (p < 0.001). After adjusting baseline variation, when compared to control group, the mean score of state anxiety was significantly lower in the lavender/aromatherapy group $\left(\beta =-7.03,95\%\text{confidence}\text{interval}\left(\text{CI}\right):-8.83,-5.24\right)$ and lavender/aromatherapy-music group$\left(\beta =-9.27,95\%\text{CI}:-11.1,-7.49\right)$than in the control group. Moreover, when compared to control group, the severity of state anxiety was significantly lower in the lavender/aromatherapy group $\left(\beta =-3.84,95\%\text{CI}:-5.58,-2.10\right)$ and the lavender/aromatherapy-music group $\left(\beta =-5.01,95\%\text{CI}:-7.05,-2.97\right)$ than in the control group. No adverse events were observed.

Conclusion

The effects of using aromatherapy with lavender oil in conjunction with music therapy on state anxiety and NST results during pregnancy were similar to those resulting from the use of aromatherapy with lavender oil alone. Overall, the application of lavender oil as aromatherapy with or without music therapy is effective in reducing state anxiety during pregnancy and enhancing NST results.

Trial registration

This trial was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials 22/12/2020 with code IRCT20090810002324N17. URL of registry: https://fa.irct.ir/trial/51378.

中文翻译：

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芳香疗法和音乐疗法对怀孕期间焦虑和无压力测试结果的影响：一项随机临床试验

介绍

通常建议使用无压力测试（NST）来评估胎儿的健康状况。怀孕期间的焦虑会影响 NST 结果，因此假阳性结果的发生率可能会增加。本研究旨在探讨薰衣草油吸入与音乐疗法相结合是否比单独使用薰衣草油更能有效减少怀孕期间的焦虑和 NST 结果。

方法

这项随机临床试验包括 195 名初产参与者，他们被随机分配到对照组或两个干预组之一，接受 1) 薰衣草油吸入，2) 薰衣草油吸入和音乐疗法。在进行 NST 前 20 分钟，干预组的参与者吸入了四滴 10% 的薰衣草油。在薰衣草/香薰音乐组中，还通过耳机播放自然声音。在干预前和 NST 后 20 分钟，使用状态-特质焦虑量表 (STAI) 将状态焦虑作为主要结果进行测量。NST 结果被评估为次要结果。对于盲法，数据收集是由不知道干预的人完成的。

结果

两个干预组中胎心率加速、胎动和反应性 NST 结果的平均数量比对照组更具统计学意义 (p < 0.001)。调整基线变化后，与对照组相比，薰衣草/芳香疗法组的状态焦虑平均得分显着较低$（\beta =-7.03,95\%\text{信心}\text{间隔}（\text{CI}）：-8.83,-5.24）$和薰衣草/香薰音乐组$（\beta =-9.27,95\%\text{CI}：-11.1,-7.49）$比对照组。此外，与对照组相比，薰衣草/芳香疗法组的状态焦虑严重程度显着降低$（\beta =-3.84,95\%\text{CI}：-5.58,-2.10）$以及薰衣草/香薰音乐组$（\beta =-5.01,95\%\text{CI}：-7.05,-2.97）$比对照组。没有观察到不良事件。

结论

使用薰衣草油芳香疗法结合音乐疗法对怀孕期间的状态焦虑和 NST 结果的影响与单独使用薰衣草油芳香疗法的效果相似。总体而言，应用薰衣草油作为芳香疗法，配合或不配合音乐疗法，可有效减少怀孕期间的状态焦虑并提高 NST 结果。

试用注册

该试验于2020年12月22日在伊朗临床试验登记处注册，代码为IRCT20090810002324N17 。注册网址： https: //fa.irct.ir/Trial/51378。