The Influence of lower extremity hypothermia on the active phase of labor.

An experimental study was conducted to examine the incidence of cold feet during labor, and to ascertain if a nursing intervention, applying socks, would be beneficial to parturient patients. Thirty subjects were alternately assigned to the control or experimental group. Demographic and descriptive data were obtained by interview and chart review. Foot temperatures were obtained by using a Digitec thermister thermometer and probes. The first hypostasis stated that the application of socks would increase the foot temperature of women during the active phase of labor. Experimental subjects had significantly greater changes in foot temperature during the study than did the control subjects. It should be noted, however, that the experimental group has significantly lower baseline foot temperatures than did the control group. Hypothesis 1 was accepted. The second hypothesis stated that the application of socks would increase thermal comfort of women during the active phase of labor. All experimental subjects questioned throughout labor stated that socks warmed their feed. Hypothesis 1 was accepted. The third hypothesis stated that the application of socks to women in the active phase of labor would significantly increase the speed of the active phase of labor. Primigravida subjects in the experimental group had significantly greater rates of cervical dilatation in the active phase of labor than the control group primigravidas. There was no significant difference in cervical dilatation rates between group multigravidas and experimental group multigravidas. Hypothesis 3 was accepted due to the fact that primigravidas has a significant increase in dilitration rate. The findings of the study suggest that multigravidas in the experimental group had a reduction in length of their labor. The sample size of 30 subjects prohibits generalizations of the results of this study. The trends of this study suggest that women who wear socks in labor have increased thermal comfort, and increase in foot temperature, and for primigravidas an increased rate if cervical dilitation in the active phase of labor.