Oxytocin levels in low-risk primiparas following breast stimulation for spontaneous onset of labor: a quasi-experimental study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Breast stimulation is performed to self-induce labor. However, there are apparently no reports on hormonal evaluation during stimulation for consecutive days in relation to induction effect. We evaluated the salivary oxytocin level following 3 consecutive days of own breast stimulation for 1 h each day compared with no breast stimulation.

Methods

We used a quasi-experimental design. The participants were low-risk primiparas between 38 and 39 gestational weeks. Eight saliva samples per participant were collected at preintervention and 30, 60, and 75 min postintervention on the first and third days. The primary outcome was change in the salivary oxytocin level on the third day after 3 consecutive days of breast stimulation for 1 h each day compared with no breast st

SUBMITTER: Takahata K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6790060 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature