To read the previous part, go to TENS and Pregnant Women.
It’s essential to consider TENS contraindications. The absolute contraindication applies to people with pacemakers. In this case, the cardiologist would need to give their approval before the patient can use a TENS.
Contraindications are normal for:
- People who have cancer. It should never be used in the tumour zone;
- People with epilepsy. It should never be used at the base of the neck;
- People who have a loss of feeling (ex.: paralysis).
There are many choices, including the Céfar Fémina. The Fémina neurostimulator doesn’t have side effects and is easy to use and designed for pregnant women. The mother sets the intensity of the electrical currents sent to the pain sites through the electrodes with a controller. This soothing method intercepts the pain signal before arriving in the brain. It also helps secrete more natural endorphins. Your level of consciousness is never diminished, and you can use the device at the same time as other treatments or other forms of analgesics.
The Fémina has five preset programs ranging from P-1 to P-5: soothes childbirth pain (P-1); soothes pelvic, back and neck pain (P-2); massages (P-3); helps circulation or tired legs (P-4), and helps improve fitness (P-5).
According to several studies, the use of a TENS is an interesting method for soothing pain during the first stage of labour if applied on acupuncture points, and even more effective for back pain during pregnancy. A woman in labour can manage the intensity of the stimulation at the start of labour and between contractions, and increase them when the pain intensifies during the active phase before delivery.
The device can be bought or rented during pregnancy. You will pay around $90 per month to rent the Fémina, including in-home personalised training and monitoring if needed, but the professional handling your file. The vast majority of insurance programs reimburse the fees for both the purchase and rental of the device.
Voilà! I hope you enjoyed this article and it answered your questions about TENS as a means to soothe pain during pregnancy and childbirth.
Please share your experiences with me in the comment section!
Talk soon,
Marie
The Baby Expert
