Today, many women are seeking to have a
natural delivery using non-medical pain reduction
methods (Yoshioka et al, 2012). Aromatherapy is a
non-medical complementary treatment which is
applied using the senses of touch and smell. When
herbal aromatic essence is inhaled, impulses are
transferred to the brain by the smelling receptors,
leading to the release of specific neurological and
harmonic substances which are able to stimulate,
suppress, soothe or inebriate and finally result in
physical and psychological changes (Tillett and
Ames, 2010). Aromatherapy has also been reported
to be effective in reducing pain and anxiety (Simkin
and Bolding, 2004).