Birth ball for pain management and its effects in natural childbirth

Abstract

Pelvic exercise with the birth ball stretches and relaxes pelvic muscles. When it's incorporated to labor, it reduces the duration of the first phase, and reduces pain. The objective of this review is to describe the use of the birth ball as a non-pharmacological strategy for pain management, and their effect on the evolution of labor. To achieve this, a bibliographic review was carried out based on scientific articles published within the last five years. This non-pharmacological technique has shown benefits in the management of maternal pain and anxiety. During pregnancy and labor, the use of the birth ball promotes postural correction as well as relaxation and stretching of the pelvic floor muscles. In addition, it helps in the descent and rotation of the fetal head, and increases cervical dilation, facilitating natural delivery. The use of the birth ball is an effective non-pharmacological technique for pain management and reduces labor time. Also, it helps to correct fetal presentation and avoids obstetric procedures.