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The Effect of Normal Physiologic Childbirth on Labor Pain Relief: an Interventional Study in Mother-Friendly Hospitals
Somayeh MAKVANDI, Khadigeh MIRZAIINAJMABADI, Najmeh TEHRANIAN, Habibollah ESMILY and Masoumeh MIRTEIMOORI
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Normal physiologic childbirth program was implemented in mother-friendly hospitals of Iran after 2008. In normal physiologic childbirth, non-pharmacological methods of labor pain relief were applied. The aim of the present study is to assess the effect of the normal physiologic childbirth program in a mother-friendly hospital on labor pain relief.
Methods: This study was a clinical trial that was conducted in Sina mother-friendly hospital in Ahvaz, Iran, in 2016. The intervention group of 57 women was offered childbirth preparation classes during pregnancy and a normal physiologic childbirth program during labor, while the control group of 57 women received conventional care. The study outcome was the amount of labor pain measured between contractions in various cervical dilatations until delivery.
Results: In the cervical dilatations of 6 cm, 8 cm and 10 cm, labor pain in the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group. Furthermore, the mean of labor pain in the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group (p<0.001)
Conclusion: Complete implementation of the normal physiologic childbirth program can reduce the severity of labor pain.
Keywords: natural childbirth; prenatal education; labor pain; pain management; non-pharmacologic approaches