Aromatherapy necklace tested to calm labor pain
NCT ID NCT07522554
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests whether inhaling lavender and lemongrass essential oils through a personal necklace can reduce pain and anxiety during active labor. 70 women in labor will be randomly assigned to receive either the aromatherapy or a placebo (sweet almond oil). Researchers will measure pain using a 0-10 scale and anxiety using a standard questionnaire. The goal is to see if this natural approach can improve the childbirth experience.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- lavender and lemongrass essential oils
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a natural, drug-free option to help ease pain and anxiety during labor.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 70 participants. Results may not apply to all women, and the effect may be no better than a placebo.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 70 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Mar 2026
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 40 years
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Women aged 18 to 40 years, regardless of parity; Term pregnancy (gestational age between 37 weeks and 41 weeks and 6 days), with a single, live fetus in cephalic presentation; * Active labor, defined as cervical dilation ≥5 cm, confirmed by vaginal examination, and the presence of at least two effective uterine contractions (≥40 seconds) within 10 minutes; * Pain score ≥4 assessed by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and anxiety level ≥30 assessed by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - State (STAI-S) at the pre-intervention moment; * No language barriers that would prevent understanding of the Portuguese language. Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of obstetric comorbidities or systemic conditions, such as hypertensive disorders, metabolic disorders, hemorrhagic conditions, pulmonary diseases (e.g., rhinitis, asthma), heart diseases, coagulation disorders, autoimmune diseases, among others; * Prior use of pharmacological analgesia before the intervention (e.g., epidural analgesia, nitrous oxide, scopolamine butylbromide); * Prior use of anxiolytics or antidepressants, regardless of pharmacological class; * Presence of olfactory disorders that may interfere with the administration of essential oils; * Known allergies to essential oils or hypersensitivity reactions occurring during the study.
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Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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School of Nursing, University of São Paulo (EEUSP)
São Paulo, São Paulo, 05403-000, Brazil
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