A new study has found that holding your partner's hand can ease some of the physical pains women experience during childbirth.
The researchers at Colorado University, Boulder believe that the simple act of holding hands provides comfort which helps reduce the intense pain.
According to the Daily Mail, The team carried out two experiments to find out if the empathetic action was beneficial. Over 20 straight couples participated in the study, aged between 23 and 32.
Participants had to be healthy, on no medication other than birth control and in a serious relationship.
The team carried out four different tests on the women, where they were subjected to pain by using heat.
The experts found that the women experienced a greater pain when their partner was absent from the room. When they were accompanied by their partner their pain levels decreased.
The women experienced a lot less pain when their partners were holding their hands, compared to when they were absent, the researchers explained.
The study was inspired by one researcher's personal experience. When Pavel Goldstein’s wife was giving birth to their daughter, she asked her husband to hold her hand, leading him to wonder about the powers of physical contact.
The neuroscience researcher stated that looking for alternative ways to relieve pain is important, especially for women who do not want to use medication during delivery.
“I think touch is generally a good tool for connecting people - that doesn’t mean you need to touch everyone in the streets - but I think that touching between friends or romantic partners is very powerful,” he explained.
