{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,14]],"date-time":"2026-01-14T15:42:34Z","timestamp":1768405354447,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,15]],"date-time":"2024-06-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1718409600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Hydrotherapy, including the use of therapeutic showers and bathtubs, has been studied for its potential benefits in labor pain management. Previous research has indicated that hydrotherapy can alleviate pain, but comparative studies between therapeutic showers and bathtubs are scarce. Objective: This study aims to compare the effects of therapeutic showers and bathtubs on pain perception, labor duration, use of epidural analgesia, and maternal and neonatal outcomes during labor. Methods: A total of 124 pregnant women were included in this study. Participants were divided into two groups: those who used a therapeutic shower and those who used a bathtub during labor. Pain levels were measured using a visual analog scale (VAS). Labor duration, use of epidural analgesia, types of delivery, maternal outcomes (postpartum hemorrhage, perineal status, maternal hypotension, fever, and breastfeeding), and neonatal outcomes (APGAR scores, fetal heart rate, complications, and neonatal unit admissions) were recorded and analyzed. Results: Both the therapeutic shower and the bathtub effectively reduced pain perception, with the bathtub showing a greater reduction in VAS scores. The therapeutic shower group experienced a significantly shorter labor duration compared to the bathtub group. The majority of participants in both groups did not require epidural analgesia, with no significant differences between the groups. There were no significant differences in the types of delivery. Maternal outcomes indicated a lower incidence of perineal tears and episiotomies in the therapeutic shower group. Neonatal outcomes, including APGAR scores and fetal heart rate, were similar between the groups, with no significant differences in complications or neonatal unit admissions. Conclusions: Both therapeutic showers and bathtubs are effective for pain relief during labor, with the bathtub showing a higher reduction in pain intensity. The therapeutic shower is associated with a shorter labor duration and a lower incidence of perineal tears and episiotomies. Both methods are safe for neonatal well-being, making hydrotherapy a viable non-pharmacological option for pain management in labor. However, the therapeutic shower may offer additional benefits in terms of labor duration and maternal outcomes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm13123517","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,17]],"date-time":"2024-06-17T06:29:43Z","timestamp":1718605783000},"page":"3517","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Comparative Analysis of Therapeutic Showers and Bathtubs for Pain Management and Labor Outcomes\u2014A Retrospective Cohort Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-5415-9960","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elena","family":"Mellado-Garc\u00eda","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7906-5656","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lourdes","family":"D\u00edaz-Rodr\u00edguez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4019-8555","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jonathan","family":"Cort\u00e9s-Mart\u00edn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4650-2159","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Juan Carlos","family":"S\u00e1nchez-Garc\u00eda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Beatriz","family":"Piqueras-Sola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, 18014 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Juan Carlos Higuero","family":"Mac\u00edas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Costa del Sol University Hospital, 29603 Marbella, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8894-0501","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francisco","family":"Rivas Ruiz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Costa del Sol University Hospital, 29603 Marbella, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2086-1222","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Raquel","family":"Rodr\u00edguez-Blanque","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain"},{"name":"San Cecilio University Hospital, 18016 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"CD000111","article-title":"Immersion in Water during Labour and Birth","volume":"5","author":"Cluett","year":"2018","journal-title":"Cochrane Database Syst. 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Midwifery Womens Health"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110","DOI":"10.1016\/j.midw.2018.06.005","article-title":"Culture, Bathing and Hydrotherapy in Labor: An Exploratory Descriptive Pilot Study","volume":"64","author":"Benfield","year":"2018","journal-title":"Midwifery"}],"container-title":["Journal of Clinical Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/13\/12\/3517\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T14:59:26Z","timestamp":1760108366000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/13\/12\/3517"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,15]]},"references-count":18,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6]]}},"alternative-id":["jcm13123517"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/jcm13123517","relation":{},"ISSN":["2077-0383"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2077-0383","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,15]]}}}