| Objective: To assess the effect of using abdominal binders on pain, distress, and
postpartum hemorrhage after cesarean delivery.
Methods: The present prospective randomized controlled trial enrolled patients
undergoing non-emergency cesarean deliveries in Gonbad-e Kavus, Golestan Province,
Iran, between January 22 and October 23, 2015. Patients were randomized in a 1:1
ratio by blocks of four or six to a control group or to use an abdominal binder after
delivery; all patients received routine care. The primary outcomes were visual analog
scale-assessed pain, symptom distress scale (SDS)-assessed distress, and hemoglobin
and hematocrit levels. Participants and researchers were masked to treatment
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assignments until after cesarean delivery, and data analysis was unmasked; intentionto-
treat analyses were performed.
Results: There were 89 patients enrolled in each group, with no differences in baseline
pain scores, SDS scores, and hemoglobin and hematocrit levels between the groups
(all P>0.05). Pain and SDS scores were lower in the binder group at all post-baseline
time points compared with the control group (all P<0.001). Hemoglobin and hematocrit
levels were higher among patients who received binders 36 hours after baseline (both
P<0.001). There was one patient who experienced hemorrhage in the binders group
and one patient requested removal of their binder.
Conclusions: Patients who received abdominal binders reported less pain, lower SDS
scores, and higher hemoglobin and hematocrit levels following cesarean delivery. |