"You are either with me on this or not": A meta-ethnography of the influence birth partners and care-providers have on coping strategies learned in childbirth education and used by women during labour

Novel grouping of planned coping strategies for managing the intensity of labour: A survey study of Australian nulliparous women

BACKGROUND

It is common for women to explore and plan strategies to cope during labour. These strategies are usually focused on pain control and described as either pharmacological or non-pharmacological. As labour is an individual experience, each woman should be enabled to choose strategies that best suit them, and that reflect what they feel influences their sense of capacity to cope.

AIM

By exploring women's intentions and choices of strategies, this study aimed to understand how coping strategies can better reflect women's individual needs and expectations.

METHODS

Fifty-six primiparous women were recruited from one tertiary hospital in Melbourne, Australia between February and May 2021. Data were collected via a survey in late pregnancy using open-ended questions. Content and thematic analyses were used to analyse responses.

RESULTS

Themes related to how women frame the intensity of labour, how they strive for a relationally safe environment and a need to be prepared and knowledgeable. Strategies chosen by women could be grouped into two categories: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic strategies could be self-generated by women (such as breathing techniques and movement), while extrinsic strategies required either equipment (such as a bath) or others to administer (such as epidural analgesia).

CONCLUSIONS

Women value having a range of intrinsic and extrinsic strategies that enable autonomy or require external support. This moves beyond the 'pharmacological and non-pharmacological' categorisation of strategies, and we propose that reframing strategies as intrinsic and extrinsic could have a number of benefits on women's sense of autonomy and utilisation of strategies. The findings provide a foundation for more targeted research into how women can be supported to individualise and implement these coping strategies in labour.

Description of the culture of childbirth and parenting classes in Cyprus: An ethnographic approach

INTRODUCTION

Childbirth and parenting classes are very important because they potentially help couples to make the right decisions during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, which has a direct effect on the health of the mother and neonate. However, in Cyprus, the culture of childbirth and parenting classes has not been previously explored.

METHODS

An ethnographic study design was adopted, specifically non-participant observation was undertaken of 19 classes. Semi-structured telephone interviews were employed to collect data in addition to field notes and a reflective diary. Inductive content analysis was undertaken to analyze the data.

RESULTS

Four main thematic categories emerged from data analysis: 1) Views and opinions about the course, 2) Important perinatal topics, 3) Usefulness and reasons for attending the classes, and 4) The journey of learning. The importance of antenatal classes has not been given sufficient attention in Cyprus.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a clear need for a standardized curriculum within the current configuration of national maternity healthcare in Cyprus. Policymakers must implement a standardized curriculum, integrating diverse pedagogical methods to provide in-depth information for expectant parents and parents. While emphasizing the crucial role of midwives in perinatal education, this study also advocates for collaboration with other healthcare professionals emphasizing the imperative need for a comprehensive, standardized approach to perinatal education within the national healthcare system of Cyprus.

Antenatal education - Putting research into practice: A guideline review

PROBLEM

Antenatal care guidelines used in Australia are inconsistent in their recommendations for childbirth and parenting education (CBPE) classes for preparation of women and parents for pregnancy, childbirth, and early parenting.

BACKGROUND

Clinical practice guidelines in maternity care are developed to assist healthcare practitioners and consumers to make decisions about appropriate care. The benefit of such guidelines relies on the translation and quality of the evidence contained within them. In the context of antenatal care guidelines, there is a potential evidence-practice gap with regard to CBPE.

AIMS

This review aims to appraise the quality of Australian antenatal care guidelines in their recommendations for CBPE for women and partners.

METHODS

Publicly available Australian antenatal care guidelines were identified including local health district websites and professional organisations pertaining to maternity care. Guidelines were reviewed independently, and the quality was assessed using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) tool.

FINDINGS

Five guidelines were included in the review and appraised using AGREE II. With the exception of the Department of Health Pregnancy Care Guidelines, guidelines scored poorly across all six domains. When appraised according to specific CBPE recommendations for rigour of development, presentation, and applicability; all guidelines received low scores.

DISCUSSION

Prenatal services remain largely unregulated across the board, with no systematic approach to make recommendations for CBPE and guidelines lacking in rigour with regard to CBPE.

CONCLUSION

Within the guidelines reviewed there was a lack of evidence-based recommendations provided for educators or consumers regarding childbirth and parenting education.

How Do Anxiety and Relationship Factors Influence the Application of Childbirth Education Strategies During Labor and Birth: A Bowen Family Systems Perspective

The effectiveness of childbirth education (CBE) has long been debated with studies showing contradictory outcomes for mothers and babies. Understanding how what is learned in CBE is translated into practice during labor and birth is an area that requires investigation as this may be a mediating factor in its effectiveness. Bowen family system theory's concept of differentiation of self, the ability to be guided by and to act from one's beliefs and values, is an organizing principle that may affect how relational factors affect the use and application of CBE at the time of birth. The ability to act with emotional maturity when faced with a stressor, such as childbirth, depends on an individual's capability to separate thoughts from the more reactive feeling process. Recognizing how one's level of differentiation interacts with the anxious responses of others may assist pregnant women and birth partners to make decisions more objectively about how they want to manage the birthing process. For the health professional, understanding the interplay of relationship variables, physiological stress, anxiety and individual reactivity may allow for the provision of more thoughtful evidence-based practice, which may increase objectivity, and aid communication and decision-making for women during birth. Bowen theory, as a comprehensive systems-based approach to understanding human functioning under stress, offers a novel approach to exploring the application of CBE during birth.