[Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for Pain Management During Labor]. 2016

Lucía Mosquera Pan, and Ana María Luces Lago, and Maialen Onandia Garate, and Eva Tizón Bouza

Currently, epidural analgesia is considered the most used method for pain management during labor, but this technique could have side effects. There are non-pharmacological methods that can be used alternatively or in synergy with epidural analgesia, without adverse effects on maternal and fetal outcomes. These methods include transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). TENS is a physiotherapy technique particularly suitable for the dilation period, during the first state of labor, and while women do not perceive a very intense pain. The use in childbirth is recent and controversial. Despite being well received by women and midwives, their effectiveness has not been clearly demonstrated. Organizations such as the Spanish Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics and the Department of Health, consider this therapy an inefficient non-pharmacological mechanism for pain relief in the active stage of labor. Women should have the option to choose any pain relief method in any stage of their process. Health professionals are the responsible to know, investigate and work with these different methods, offering to pregnant women, adequate information, which must be based on scientific evidence.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007743 Labor, Obstetric The repetitive uterine contraction during childbirth which is associated with the progressive dilation of the uterine cervix (CERVIX UTERI). Successful labor results in the expulsion of the FETUS and PLACENTA. Obstetric labor can be spontaneous or induced (LABOR, INDUCED). Obstetric Labor
D010147 Pain Measurement Scales, questionnaires, tests, and other methods used to assess pain severity and duration in patients or experimental animals to aid in diagnosis, therapy, and physiological studies. Analgesia Tests,Analogue Pain Scale,Formalin Test,McGill Pain Questionnaire,Nociception Tests,Pain Assessment,Pain Intensity,Pain Severity,Tourniquet Pain Test,Visual Analogue Pain Scale,Analog Pain Scale,Assessment, Pain,McGill Pain Scale,Visual Analog Pain Scale,Analgesia Test,Analog Pain Scales,Analogue Pain Scales,Formalin Tests,Intensity, Pain,Measurement, Pain,Nociception Test,Pain Assessments,Pain Intensities,Pain Measurements,Pain Questionnaire, McGill,Pain Scale, Analog,Pain Scale, Analogue,Pain Scale, McGill,Pain Severities,Pain Test, Tourniquet,Questionnaire, McGill Pain,Scale, Analog Pain,Scale, Analogue Pain,Scale, McGill Pain,Severity, Pain,Test, Analgesia,Test, Formalin,Test, Nociception,Test, Tourniquet Pain,Tests, Nociception,Tourniquet Pain Tests
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D004561 Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation The use of specifically placed small electrodes to deliver electrical impulses across the SKIN to relieve PAIN. It is used less frequently to produce ANESTHESIA. Analgesic Cutaneous Electrostimulation,Electric Stimulation, Transcutaneous,Electroanalgesia,Percutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation,TENS,Transdermal Electrostimulation,Electrical Stimulation, Transcutaneous,Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation,Percutaneous Electrical Neuromodulation,Percutaneous Neuromodulation Therapy,Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation,Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation,Cutaneous Electrostimulation, Analgesic,Electrical Neuromodulation, Percutaneous,Electrical Neuromodulations, Percutaneous,Electroanalgesias,Electrostimulation, Analgesic Cutaneous,Electrostimulation, Transdermal,Nerve Stimulation, Transcutaneous,Neuromodulation Therapy, Percutaneous,Neuromodulation, Percutaneous Electrical,Neuromodulations, Percutaneous Electrical,Percutaneous Electrical Neuromodulations,Percutaneous Neuromodulation Therapies,Stimulation, Transcutaneous Electric,Stimulation, Transcutaneous Nerve,Therapy, Percutaneous Neuromodulation,Transcutaneous Electric Stimulation,Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D016362 Analgesia, Obstetrical The elimination of PAIN, without the loss of CONSCIOUSNESS, during OBSTETRIC LABOR; OBSTETRIC DELIVERY; or the POSTPARTUM PERIOD, usually through the administration of ANALGESICS. Obstetrical Analgesia,Analgesia, Obstetric,Obstetric Analgesia
D017060 Patient Satisfaction The degree to which the individual regards the health care service or product or the manner in which it is delivered by the provider as useful, effective, or beneficial. Satisfaction, Patient
D059408 Pain Management A form of therapy that employs a coordinated and interdisciplinary approach for easing the suffering and improving the quality of life of those experiencing pain. Management, Pain,Managements, Pain,Pain Managements
D036861 Delivery, Obstetric Delivery of the FETUS and PLACENTA under the care of an obstetrician or a health worker. Obstetric deliveries may involve physical, psychological, medical, or surgical interventions. Obstetric Delivery,Deliveries, Obstetric,Obstetric Deliveries

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