Distractions relieve pain VR is used for childbirth!

Erin Martucci's child has just been born, and she can reduce the pain of childbirth by staring at the peaceful beaches and waterfalls. When she wears the Samsung Gear VR heads, the pre-recorded voice-over will guide her to follow the bird's path and breathe rhythmically. After the obstetrician removed her head, she noticed that her baby had been born. The Guardian reported that Martucci was the first pregnant woman to use VR to assist in childbirth during the delivery process and did not need additional pain management.

Doctors can remotely monitor Martucci's uterine contractions. When she shows signs of severe pain, cramps and twists, the doctor will check to see if she is ready to give birth. In an interview with The Guardian, Martucci's obstetrician Ralph Anderson said: "The patient must be motivated rather than frightened." Although VR is distracting, it is different from intraspinal delivery and analgesia. Many women choose to inject pain medications into the spine to make the delivery process easier.

The method of relieving pain through distraction is not new: Medical experts have been encouraging pregnant women to regulate their breathing and find their focus during uterine contractions. VR may help some women find their focus, and provide a safe alternative to the prospects. After all, there is a risk of side effects from spinal analgesia. For example, one in eight women may experience a drop in blood pressure, which may alter the blood flow to the placenta and reduce the oxygen available to the baby. Sometimes, intraspinal delivery analgesia also extends the delivery process.

Another common option is caesarean section, especially in the United States. At present, nearly 32.2% of American women choose caesarean section, and WHO recommends caesarean section rate should be between 10%-15%. Caesarean section pain is relatively small, but the recovery period is longer, and some women experience long-term pain and soreness. If VR can reduce the pain of natural birth, then this will help reduce the rate of caesarean section.

VR also has the potential to inhibit the pain of other treatments. Researchers at Tongji University in Shanghai wrote in June 2016 an article entitled "Advances and Tendencies: A Review of Recent Studies on Virtual Reality for Pain Management": "Because of its immersive and distracting nature Researchers believe that VR may be safer and more effective than traditional analgesia."

Studies have shown that VR can relieve people's pain by dispersing the patient's attention. For example, a paper in the Journal of the Clinical Journal of Pain describes a study in which 11 burn patients were treated with VR assisted by immersion in VR during treatment. All 11 patients reported a significant reduction in their pain.

In another dental patient's case study, VR relieved the patient's pain and was more effective than watching a movie. Multi-sensory experiences are also used to help patients overcome anxiety, distract women during chemotherapy, and reduce children's pain during intravenous injections.

Of course, not many people will choose to use VR to assist delivery. Because VR's sense of closure prevents you from witnessing the birth of your child, this is the most precious moment for your mother.