Women in labour are being given virtual reality headsets to see if they can help manage the pain of childbirth.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media.

University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff is carrying out a trial and it could be rolled out across Wales, if successful.

Midwife Suzanne Hardacre, said the technology offered an alternative for pain management.

Mother-to-be Hannah Lelii, who tested the kit ahead of the birth of her first baby this month, likened it "to a simulator".

"It's genuinely 360 degrees, so when I turn, I've got the view that would be behind me or to the side of me," she said.

"It helps to get me in a state of relaxation."

The health board will arrange a feedback session in future to gauge the response of the first raft of new mums to trial the headsets.