DEEP BREATHING RELAXATION AND LEMON AROMA THERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF NAUSEA AND VOMITING DURING EARLY PREGNANCY: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

Nausea and vomiting during early pregnancy are common conditions that may affect maternal comfort, nutritional intake, and quality of life. Nonpharmacological approaches are increasingly recommended as safe complementary therapies for managing these symptoms. Most previous studies have focused on single interventions, such as deep-breathing relaxation or aromatherapy, with limited evidence on their combined or synergistic effects. This study aimed to describe the implementation of a combination of deep-breathing relaxation and lemon aromatherapy for the management of nausea and vomiting during early pregnancy. A descriptive case study design was applied, involving two pregnant women in the first trimester with emesis gravidarum. The intervention among pregnant woman consisted of deep-breathing relaxation combined with the inhalation of lemon aromatherapy, administered once daily in the morning for five consecutive days with a duration of 15 minutes. Outcomes were evaluated using the Pregnancy-Unique Quantification of Emesis (PUQE-24) instrument, supported by clinical observation and participants’ subjective reports. The results demonstrated a reduction in the intensity of nausea and vomiting in both participants, as indicated by a decrease in PUQE-24 scores from moderate to mild categories, accompanied by improved comfort and appetite. Participants also reported increased relaxation and reduced nausea frequency following the intervention. These findings suggest that the combination of deep breathing relaxation and lemon aromatherapy has potential as an effective and applicable complementary nonpharmacological strategy in maternal nursing care during early pregnancy. Further studies with larger samples and more rigorous designs are needed to confirm these findings, including collaboration with nutritionists to optimize dietary management.