Most women experience moderate to severe pain during the first-trimester surgical termination of pregnancy despite various analgesic techniques. Studies have shown that VR effectively reduces anxiety among a range of women in differing circumstances. Our study objectives were to assess the feasibility of using VR during first-trimester dilation and curettage under local anesthesia and understand the effect of VR on procedure-related anxiety during first-trimester dilation and curettage.
A pilot feasibility study was conducted in a convenience sample of 30 women. Anxiety scores were recorded before, during, and after the procedure. In-depth interviews were born after the process.
The study concluded that VR was either very useful or somewhat effective in relieving anxiety during and after the procedure. Eleven participants used the VR device for the entire process, and four participants removed it during the procedure. The anxiety scores before the operation were not significantly different between the groups. The intervention group had a median five-point post-procedure decrease in anxiety score rated on a visual analog scale, which was substantially different from that of the control group. Overall, participants had a positive experience, but there were some technological frustrations.
References: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13625187.2020.1836146
