Can Virtual Reality (VR) Help with Childbirth? Cedars-Sinai Skip to content Close Select your preferred language English عربى 简体中文 繁體中文 فارسي עִברִית 日本語 한국어 Русский Español Tagalog Menu Close Call 1-800-CEDARS-1 toggle search form Close Share Email Print CS-Blog Cedars-Sinai Blog How Virtual Reality Can Help with Childbirth Jun 16, 2018 Cedars-Sinai Staff Share Tweet Post Cedars-Sinai doctors are studying the use of virtual reality to help patients cope with contractions during labor. Virtual reality (VR) opens up so many opportunities, giving users the ability to do everything from swimming in the ocean to flying through outer space with ease. The technology's fun options are endless—but how does it fit into childbirth? Dr. Melissa Wong, who is fellow in the Maternal-Fetal Medicine program and pursuing a master's degree in Health Delivery Science at Cedars-Sinai, is working with principal investigator Dr. Kimberly Gregory to see how VR could help pregnant women during labor. Dr. Wong gave us a peek inside the study they're working on. VR magnifies the mind-body connection, and we know the mind can be very influential in healing and how pain is perceived. Q What are you studying Dr. Wong: We're studying the use of virtual reality for helping patients cope with contractions during labor. Women will be given a chance to put on VR goggles for 30 minutes and choose to watch a VR scenario of their choice. We will ask the women to rate their pain before and after wearing the VR goggles. Read: Understanding What Women Want During Childbirth Q Why are you studying this Dr. Wong: VR, artificial intelligence, robots, and digital technology are creeping into everything we do in life. It only makes sense that it would also evolve into healthcare. Rather than let it creep in, we wanted to study it. We frequently ask patients to think of something calming or relaxing or a fun place to go "in their minds" when they are uncomfortable. VR makes that imaginary time more real. It's like self-hypnosis or guided meditation on steroids. In essence, VR magnifies the mind-body connection, and we know the mind can be very influential in healing and how pain is perceived. Read: VR and the Future of Healthcare Q What are you hoping to achieve or what are your ideal results Dr. Wong: Virtual reality has been found to be a useful tool in helping reduce both acute and chronic pain in other settings. We are hoping to see that women who use the VR goggles are satisfied with the experience, and feel that they are better able to cope with their labor pains. Read: Virtual Reality Offers Real Pain Relief Q Why should this matter to patients Dr. Wong: This may be especially relevant for women who want a physiologic or "natural" birth (for example, they are hoping to avoid narcotics or epidurals). If VR provides a useful distraction for women in labor, it could provide an alternative coping mechanism, enabling women to have the birth experience they desire. Tags Pregnancy and Maternity Innovation Women's Health Technology Research Share Tweet Post Popular Categories Health + Wellness Science + Innovation Community Blog & Magazines catalyst Blog & Magazines Home CS-Blog Blog CS Magazine Cedars-Sinai Magazine discoveries magazine Discoveries Magazine Embracing our Community Embracing Our Community Blog & Magazines catalyst Blog & Magazines Home CS-Blog Blog Embracing our Community Embracing Our Community CS Magazine Cedars-Sinai Magazine discoveries magazine Discoveries Magazine Popular Topics Research Innovation Technology Clinical Trials Healthcare Accelerator Make an Appointment Find a Doctor Schedule a Callback Call us 24 hours a day 1-800-CEDARS-1 Support Cedars-Sinai Make a Gift Volunteer Share Email Print Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility