Emotional Support Given at Birth to Women Effect on Birth Duration, Perception and Fear

Overview

Introduction: Women begin to experience fear long before birth, and the reason for their fear may be related to their baby, themselves, their partner/relatives, and the healthcare professional. Fear can disrupt the natural process of birth, prolong the stages of birth and cause postpartum complications.The research was conducted to determine the effect of emotional support given during birth on the woman's birth duration, perception and fear. Methods:The population of the randomized controlled experimental study consisted of nulliparous women who applied for normal spontaneous birth to the Birth Unit of a State Hospital in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey (40 experimental subjects, 40 control subjects).

Introduction: Women begin to experience fear long before birth, and the reason for their fear may be related to their baby, themselves, their partner/relatives, and the healthcare professional. Fear can disrupt the natural process of birth, prolong the stages of birth and cause postpartum complications.Minimizing the fears experienced during birth can lead to more successful and comfortable births, a complication-free birth and less pain for both the woman and the baby.Therefore, emotional support from healthcare professionals is important. Aim: The research was conducted to determine the effect of emotional support given during birth on the woman's birth duration, perception and fear. Methods:The population of the randomized controlled experimental study consisted of nulliparous women who applied for normal spontaneous birth to the Birth Unit of a State Hospital in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey (40 experimental subjects, 40 control subjects).While emotional support practices and standard care were applied to women in the experimental group, only standard care practices were applied to women in the control group. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, Wijma Birth Expectation/Experience Scale (W-DEQ) Version A, Wijma Birth Expectation/Experience Scale (W-DEQ) Version B, and Women's Perceptions of Supportive Care Provided at Birth Scale.The forms were applied twice to women applying for birth: during labor (first follow-up) and the second follow-up within 2-4 hours after birth. Number and percentage distribution, chi-square test, t test in independent groups, Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon test, and Cohen d test were used in the evaluation of the data.