Effects of a pushing intervention on pain andbirthing experiences among women duringthe second stage of labor

Midwifery care for women during second-stage of labor is complex. It involves frequent and assessments of mother and fetus, promoting fetal descent, and supporting each woman's ability to cope with labor pain. Several studies have compared specific categories of pushing methods and pushing positions with regard to the length of the second stage of labor, pain, perineal outcomes and the Apgar scores of newborn infants. To evaluate maternal labor pain, duration of the second stage of labor, the women's bearing-down experiences and the newborn infant Apgar scores when spontaneous pushing is used in an upright position. This study was conducted using a quasi-experimental design. Two groups were included, study and control groups. Each group consisted of 40 women. The study group received comfort measures from the investigator, while the control group received routine nursing care. The women in study group had significantly shorter second stage of labor than the women in the control group [p=0.000], the women in the study group had more positive pushing experiences than the women in the control group [p<0.002]. The spontaneous pushing method and upright position are worthy of further promulgation in hospital. Additionally, in order to allow women to understand the benefits of different pushing techniques and postures, midwives and nurses should provide information during prenatal preparations for childbirth. Suggestions here women should be discouraged from lying supine or semi-supine in the second stage of labor and should be encouraged to adopt any other position such as sitting or squatting position that find most comfortable. In addition to women should be informed that in second stage they should be guided by their own urge to push. If pushing is ineffective or if requested by the women, strategies to assist birth can be used, such as support, change of position, emptying of the bladder and encouragement

Avaliacao psico-emotiva do casal gravido / Psycho-emotional profile of the pregnant couple

Analisamos 145 questionarios pre-codificados aplicados em mulheres apos o terceiro mes de gestacao sem sinais de risco. Selecionamos 15 dias das 106 variaveis que compunham o citado questionario para ser conhecido o perfil psico-emocional do casal gravido, principalmente o componente paterno. Foram elas: faixa etaria do casal, variaveis socioculturais (paridade, escolaridade, profissao, hora de trabalho, tempo de emprego) e psicoemocionais (anseio pela gravidez materna, percepcao da gravidez, satisfacao paterna no inicio e durante a gravidez, e mudancas no relacionamento do casal). As distribuicoes destas variaveis foram correlacionadas com a forma de termino do parto...