Efficacy of acupressure on pain intensity during first stage of labor

Pain management may actually help to shorten labor and secure natural delivery. Safe and painless labor is a dream for the future rather than a reality today. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of acupressure on pain intensity during the first stage of labor. The study was conducted on 120 parturient attending in two hospitals in Tanta city, where 60 women were chosen from each setting. Four tools were used [1] a specially designed interview schedule was used to collect basic data such as general characteristics, medical history, women's experience of pain and their expectations about labor pain. [2] Physiological and behavioral responses to pain sheet: Physiological responses to pain including: vital signs, gastrointestinal tract responses and skin responses. Behavioral responses to pain were measured using a modified Chamber Price Pain Rating Scale which includes posture, gross motor activity, facial expression and verbalization. [3] A modified version of "Johansson Pain-o-meter" for measuring the intensity of sensory and affective components of pain. It is composed of 11 affective and 12 sensory pain word descriptors. [4] Visual Analogue Scale. The results revealed that the application of acupressure to women during the first stage of labor was related to their physiological responses to pain. In addition, it was showed that both those who received the acupressure and those who did not receive it had an increase in their blood pressure. Regarding pulse rate it was observed that three nursing intervention had led to a decrease in it among the laboring women within the experimental groups. As regards the respiratory rate, the present study showed that the application of acupressure was related to its increase. In addition, a decrease of nausea and vomiting was seen after the application of acupressure. Physiologically, the activity of the sympathetic nervous system is expected to increase in response to labor pain, resulting in pallor and diaphoresis. The study revealed a change in the behavioral response to labor pain after the application of acupressure. In addition, acupressure is sign significantly related to an increase in assuming a guarded position, and decrease in frowning and grimacing, groaning, moaning, crying out, decrease in quality and intensity of labor pain. The mean score of labor pain had been reduced after acupressure application

Client's profile of users of traditional birth attendants in Sharkia, Egypt

A random samples of 200 women attending the outpatient department of a University Hospital and two maternal child health centers in Zagazig were interviewed during their routine child supervision within the first three months after delivery. The study revealed that the TBA conducted 95 [47.5%] of the deliveries and [68.0%] of the births in the samples took place in a home. Women preferred to have their babies delivered by TBAS because they are easily accessible and provide them with the needed support. With them they feel much more at ease, comfortable and that their labor will be normal. They share with the family the whole experience and they are less expensive. Housewives and illiterate mothers are more likely to prefer TBA. A significant relationship was found between mother choice of birth attendant and their level of social class. Mother's age and parity played a significant role in the choice for birth attendant. Older women and grand multipara were more likely to resort to TBA at the time of birth. Almost half [47.27%] of those who had medico-obstetrical risk were attended by TBA. In most of the groups the TBA was most highly used and nurse midwife was the least used. The underutilization of he nurse midwife needs much attention and further study. Additional training and supervision of the TBA should be provided to maximize the benefits gained from her and to ensure safe motherhood

Early concerns of puerperal primiparous women regarding infant care

This study was conducted on a random sample of 50 primipara aiming at identifying their areas of concern regarding their own infant's care and the factors affecting these concerns. Results revealed that these women were inexperienced in infant's care, feeding being the area of greatest concern in 50% of them. Areas of little concern were bathing, diapering, crying, sleeping and care of stump. The most upsetting activities were the irregular schedule and getting up at night for feeding or diapering. A higher concern was experienced by younger, the illeterate, the housewives and women married for more than 5 years than the older, better educated, working women and those married for less than 5 years. Women experienced in, or reading about infant's care had significantly fewer questions and concern