Effects of Hand Stimulation Intervention on Fatigue and the Blood Cortisol Level of Pregnant Women

손자극 간호요법이 임부의 피로와 혈중 코티졸에 미치는 효과

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of hand stimulation intervention by moxa on fatigue and the blood cortisol level in pregnant women. Method: This study was conducted using a nonequivalent control-group pretest-posttest design from Oct 13 to Dec 15, 2005. The participants were pregnant women in the Gyeong-gi area. The numbers of experimental and control subjects were 16 and 13, respectively. The hand stimulation intervention by moxa was applied to the experimental group three times a week, for a total of fifteen times for five weeks. Result: The blood cortisol level was statistically significantly different between the two groups. However, the degree of fatigue was statistically insignificant. Conclusion: These results suggest that hand stimulation intervention by moxa can be used as an effective nursing intervention in pregnant women. The implications for nursing practice and directions for future research are discussed.