Effect of Aloe Vera gel on perineal pain and wound healing after episiotomy among primiparous women: A randomized clinical trial

  Episiotomy is one of the most common surgical procedures in women. The pain caused by episiotomy is always stressful and has negative effects on women's functions. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Aloe Vera gel on perineal pain and wound healing after episiotomy among primiparous women. This study was a randomized double-blinded controlled clinical trial was conducted on 80 women referred to Tamin Ejtemaee Hospital, Hamadan, Iran, in 2017. The participants were divided into the intervention (Aloe Vera gel, n=40) and control (normal saline, n=40) groups. The REEDA questionnaire, and Visual Analog Scale were used before and 3,7,10 days after the intervention.
The data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 21) through the Chi-square test, duplicate measurement, and independent and paired samples t-tests. The results showed no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the mean scores of episiotomy pain and wound healing before the intervention (P<0.05). However, there was a significant difference between the two groups based on independent t-test after intervention (P<0.001). The results showed that Aloe Vera gel reduced pain and healed episiotomy ulcer, compared to the normal saline. The use of Aloe Vera gel, compared to normal saline, reduces pain and accelerates episiotomy ulcer healing with no side effects; therefore, it can be beneficial for women