The Effect of Sacral Massage and Sterile Water Injection During Childbirth on Pain Level and Birth Satisfaction

Childbirth is a physiological, psychological, and social process. Ineffective management of lower back pain during labor reduces oxygen supply to the fetus, increasing hypoxia, distress, perinatal morbidity, and mortality rates. Non-pharmacological approaches such as massage, breathing techniques, sterile water injection, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, transcutaneous nerve stimulation, and acupressure are used to reduce pain during childbirth. Sterile Water Injection (SSI) is one of the non-pharmacological methods applied to reduce lower back pain during childbirth. Injecting sterile water into the skin acts as a pain stimulant that alters pain perception in women experiencing severe back and lower back pain during labor. SSI is considered an attractive and current method for reducing lower back pain during childbirth due to its lack of side effects and risk to the fetus. Sacral massage, on the other hand, is applied to pregnant women, usually in the form of back or sacral massage, to reduce pain perception and increase comfort during childbirth. The mechanism of action of both Sterile Water Injection and sacral massage applied to the sacral region is the same and bypasses the gate mechanisms expressed by gate control theory. It prevents the pain-causing agent from passing through the "door," thus preventing the pain stimulus from reaching consciousness. Sacral massage and sterile water injection applied during labor stimulate the central nervous system, causing a number of hormonal changes. Furthermore, the central nervous system stimulates oxytocin release, leading to mental detachment from pain and reduced anxiety. Therefore, women giving birth can tolerate pain better. Birth satisfaction is crucial for maintaining maternal and infant health. The provision of quality healthcare services is directly proportional to a positive birth experience and maternal satisfaction. Since sterile water injection and sacral massage are low-cost interventions with no side effects for the mother and fetus, they can be easily applied to alleviate labor pain among women giving birth. The literature shows a limited number of studies comparing sterile water injection and sacral massage in the sacral region during labor. This study will be conducted to determine the effect of sterile water injection and sacral massage applied to the sacral region on labor pain and satisfaction in pregnant women.