Objective:

2

To evaluate the effect of boiled dill seed (

Anethum graveolens

) on anxiety during childbirth compared with oxytocin.

Methods:

2

This study was a randomized controlled trial with 100 pregnant women who were assigned to the oxytocin (50 cases) and the boiled dill seed (50 cases) group by a table of random number. In the boiled dill seed group

10 g of dill seed was boiled in 100 mL for 10 min and was given to women after filtration once orally at the beginning of active phase. In the oxytocin group

10 IU of oxytocin in 1000 mL of Ringer solution was prescribed according to the clinical routine. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) in both groups before (at the beginning of the active phase) and after (6 h after the delivery) was completed. Meanwhile

pain intensity and duration of labor

dilatation and effacement scores

Apgar score of newborns

and FHR were measured and evaluated.

Results:

2

No statistically significant differences were shown in obvious anxiety scores between the two groups at baseline (

P

>

0.05). After the delivery

in the boiled dill seed group

the number of women with severe [0 vs. 8.0% (4/50)] and almost severe [0 vs. 14.0% (7/50)]

trait and almost severe [0 vs. 14.0% (7/50)] state anxiety was lower than those in the control group (

P

=0.050

P

=0.041

respectively). Moreover

labor was shorter in the 1st (

P

<

0.01)

2nd (

P

=0.78) and 3rd (

P

=0.10) stages in the boiled dill seed group compared to the control group.

Conclusions:

2

Dill seed could be used as an effective treatment to reduce anxiety during labor. Dill seed can be effective in reducing the length of labor. Due to lack of maternal and fetal complications

the boiled dill seed could also be used to reduce cesarean section rates in women who are fearful and anxious of delivery. (RCT Code: IRCT201607177065N2)