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Women in labour offered VR headsets to 'ease the pain of childbirth'

15 August 2019, 16:45

VR is being trialled to help women deal with painful childbirths (stock image). Picture: Getty

Virtual Reality headsets are being given to women in labour to help ease the pain of childbirth

Women in Wales are now being offered VR headsets during labour in an attempt to distract them from the pain of childbirth.

University Hospital in Cardiff is trialling the scheme, which if successful may be rolled out across the country.

Midwife Suzanne Hardacre said, according to the BBC, that the scheme is a good alternative for pain management in childbirth.

Virtual Reality is said to help women with labour pains (stock image). Picture: Getty

And Mother-to-be Hannah Lelii, who tested the scheme ahead of the birth of her first child, likened it to a 'simulator'.

She said: "It's genuinely 360 degrees, so when I turn, I've got the view that would be behind me or to the side of me."

"It helps to get me in a state of relaxation."

And Ms Hardacre, the head of midwifery for Cardiff and Vale health board, added: "It provides us with an opportunity to do something really different, something innovative, something that's not being used elsewhere.

Could VR be the answer to painful childbirth? (stock image). Picture: Getty

"There's a great opportunity particularly to use this with women in early labour, to try and help them with some breathing and relaxation and take them out of the moment."

Developers Rescape, who charge about £4,000 per headset each year, said: "A hospital stay is never an enjoyable one. So even if you look at it from a therapy point of view, just taking people away from the uncomfortable environment they're in - it's a very easy solution to have."