<![CDATA[Background: Aromatherapy during childbirth is considered a complementary therapy to reduce pain intensity. Aromatherapy may influence the brain’s limbic system (the center of emotions) and stimulate the release of endorphins and enkephalins, which have analgesic effects, as well as serotonin, which helps reduce anxiety and tension. Objective: To determine the effect of peppermint aromatherapy on labor pain during the active phase of the first stage of labor at TPMB “S”, Ujungberung District, Bandung City. Methods: This study employed a pre-experimental design using a one-group pretest–posttest approach. The sampling technique was total sampling, involving 30 women in the active phase of the first stage of labor. Pain intensity was measured using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) through an observation sheet. Data were analyzed using univariate and bivariate analysis, with the Wilcoxon test to assess the effect of peppermint aromatherapy on labor pain. Results: Before the intervention, the majority of participants experienced severe pain (25 respondents; 83.3%), while 5 respondents (16.7%) reported moderate pain. After the intervention, most participants reported moderate pain (22 respondents; 73.3%), while only 1 respondent (3.4%) remained in the severe pain category (another category was recorded in 7 respondents; 23.3%). The Wilcoxon test showed a p-value of 0.000 (α = 0.05). Conclusion: Peppermint aromatherapy significantly reduced labor pain during the active phase of the first stage of labor at TPMB “S”.]]>
