الفهرس 
Chapter I: IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of early pregnant women. Seventy to eighty-five percent of them have nausea and about half of them experience vomiting. Different methods of treatment are used including anti-emetic medications, oral ginger root extract, and acupressure. Because of the reports regarding fetal anomalies associated with anti-emetic drugs, some doctors or even patients are reluctant to
use these medications (Nunley et al., 2008).In Chinese traditional medicine, morning sickness is usually caused by failure of gastric qi (vital life energy). Therefore, one of the
therapeutic methods is to stimulate stomach Acupoint, which is believed to restore health by correcting the energy flow. Because of the simplicity of acupressure and no side effects from pharmaceutical treatment,
acupressure may have a clinically relevant impact if this method was
effective (Lee & Frazier, 2011).
The current study was conducted in a selected Maternal and Child
Health center of Kafer ashma at El-shouhadaa, Menoufia governorate to
identify the effect of acupressure on nausea and vomiting for nulliparous
women during early pregnancy as well as women opinion about if the
used method was effective.
This study included a total of 100 primi para women before 14
weeks of gestation, were selected randomly from Maternal and Child
Health center of Kafer Ashma. The study sample was divided into 2 equal
groups (study group & control group), each group includes 50 women.
Demographic data were taken from the patients in both groups at
the beginning of the present study. The Rhodes index scale, which is an
assessment scale ranging from 0-32 score to describe the severity and frequency of nausea and vomiting symptoms, was included in the
questionnaires. It is a tool consisting of eight 5-point (range 0-4 point)
self- report items measuring the patient’s perception of duration of
nausea, frequency of nausea, distress from nausea and frequency of
vomiting.
A pilot study of 10% of the total sample size were conducted to test
clarity, feasibility, applicability and understandability of tools and the
time of application. It was carried out on 10 women (5women were
assigned to P6 acupressure application and another were assigned to P6
touch). The result of the pilot study helped in refining the interview
questionnaire and to set the final schedule. They were excluded from the
study population to assure the stability of the results and make the
necessary modifications.
In our study, the experimental group received P6 acupressure
bilaterally for thirty minutes before meals. The acupressure performed
over a period on 10 minutes for each side (Right & Left) with a total
treatment period about 60 minutes of acupressure. The patients from both
groups were instructed to fill up the questionnaires at the end of the day
of seven consecutive days.
In the present study, the majority of cases in both groups were in
age between 17-25 years. There was no significant differences between
all socio demographic data between the study and control group.
The results of this study, the frequency of nausea and vomiting in
the study group (Acupressure) was reduced compared to before treatment.
While, in the control group, the frequency was increased compared to
before the treatment.In the present study, the results revealed a highly significant
difference in the severity of nausea and vomiting between both groups
except before intervention. In the study group, the mean of severity of
nausea and vomiting attacks was high (7.26 ±.80 scores) and decreased in
the second measure to (6.70±.73 scores) and continued to decrease till
(4.68±.86 scores) in the seventh measure. But, in the control group the
mean of severity of nausea and vomiting attacks in the first measure was
(6.92±1.67scores) then elevated in the next measures until reached
(7.34±1.27scores) in the seventh measure.
The collected data were organized, categorized, tabulated and
statistically analyzed using SPSS program version, data were presented in
the tables using descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies, Chi-
square test, percentage and mean score, standard deviation, comparison of
means was performed using paired t-test. Correlation among variables
were done using person correlation coefficient. Significance was accepted
at p value <0.05 for interpretation of results of tests of significance.
The present study concluded that, Acupressure on the pericardium
6 point is effective in reducing the severity and frequency of nausea and
vomiting in pregnant women.
According to this study, it was found that Acupressure with
Neiguan point can be considered as a good alternative method in treating
nausea and vomiting in pregnant women without any side effect like
medical treatment.