Background & Aims
National and international studies have shown that one of the important reasons that led to increased Caesarian Sections among Iranian women to 56% was fear of the labor pain and un-satisfaction of labor ambiance, and Midwife shortage in public and private hospitals that made the impossibility to midwifery one to one care for the laboring women. The Iran Ministry of Health developed a guideline to improve maternal the midwife doula program. This program was launched in 2012 and is focused on reducing adverse birth outcomes by offering psychosocial, perinatal support, and wellness programming, including one-to-one midwifery care (midwife doula support) and complementary therapy for labor pain management. Thus, midwives with a bachelor’s degree, who passed a 60-hour short course are eligible to accompany pregnant women during labor and birth up to puerperium depend of women.
This study aimed to investigate the satisfaction and severity of labor pain among nulliparous women
Methods
This is a clinical trial study among 108 primi gravida pregnant women who participated in pregnancy preparation classes at Nillo Midwifery Center and attended Kasra Hospital in Tehran Iran, during active labor were included in the study after signing the consent form.
Doula midwives supported all the women and non-pharmacological pain management was offered.
Results
Results:
Among 108 samples of this study, 2 women applied for epidural pain relief, and one of those applied for elective CS because of intolerance labor pain, the rest of the women gave birth by support or complementary therapy such as massage, Acupressure, water therapy, aromatherapy), the intensity of labor pain was moderate(6.53+_1.4).
Conclusions
Besides of midwife or obstetrician, the accompaniment of another midwife as a doula during labor and birth can reduce the severity of labor pain, caesarian section, and medical interventions and increase birth satisfaction.
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