The Effect Frankincense Ointment on Pain Intensity and Episiotomy Wound Healing in Primiparous Women

Episiotomy is one of the common surgeries in midwifery that despite its small size may cause complications such as inflammation, infection or pain like any other wound. Frankincense due to anti-inflammatory effects is used in many cases, including pain relief and wound healing. This study was performed with aim to evaluate the effect of Frankincense ointment on pain intensity and episiotomy wound healing in primiparous women.
This experimental and three-blinded-study was performed on 95 primiparous women with vaginal delivery and mid lateral episiotomy in Mahdieh hospital of Tehran in 2017-2018. The subjects were divided into two groups of Frankincense ointment (intervention group) and placebo (control group). Demographic and obstetric questionnaire, health status forms, pain scale (VAS), perineal evaluation Index (REEDA) and drug complications questionnaire were used to evaluate the subjects. The ointments were used every 12 hours and for 10 days from the first day after delivery. Evaluation of pain intensity, perineal repair and drug complications were performed on days 1,5, and 10 after delivery. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 21) and Mann-Whitney, Chi-square and Fischer tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
 On the first day after birth, no significant differences were observed between two groups in terms of mean score of REEDA (P=0.752) and pain intensity (P=0.50). The mean score of REEDA in the intervention group on fifth and tenth days were 2± 1.62 and 0.95 ± 0.99, respectively, and in the control group were 4.04 ± 2.38 and 2.52 ± 2.05, respectively; these differences were significant (P=0.026, P<0.001). The mean of pain intensity on the fifth and tenth days in the intervention group were 2 ± 1.23 and 0.95 ± 0.50, respectively, and in the control group were 3.16± 1.57 and 1.97 ± 1.17, respectively. In both groups these differences were statistically significant (P=0.030, P<0.001).
Frankincense ointment with anti-inflammatory properties is effective in the episiotomy wound healing and pain reduction.