TY - JOUR
T1 - Women's positions during the second stage of labour
T2 - Views of primary care midwives
AU - De Jonge, Ank
AU - Teunissen, Doreth A.M.
AU - Van Diem, Mariet Th
AU - Scheepers, Peer L.H.
AU - Lagro-Janssen, Antoine L.M.
PY - 2008/8/1
Y1 - 2008/8/1
N2 - Aim. This paper is a report of a study to explore the views of midwives on women's positions during the second stage of labour. Background. Many authors recommend encouraging women to use positions that are most comfortable to them. Others advocate encouragement of non-supine positions, because offering 'choice' is not enough to reverse the strong cultural norm of giving birth in the supine position. Midwives' views on women's positions have rarely been explored. Method. Six focus groups were conducted in 2006-2007 with a purposive sample of 31 midwives. The data were interpreted using Thachuk's models of informed consent and informed choice. Findings. The models were useful in distinguishing between two different approaches of midwives to women's positions during labour. When giving informed consent, midwives implicitly or explicitly ask a woman's consent for what they themselves prefer. When offering informed choice, a woman's preference is the starting point, but midwives will suggest other options if this is in the woman's interest. Obstetric factors and working conditions are reasons to deviate from women's preferences. Conclusions. To give women an informed choice about birthing positions, midwives need to give them information during pregnancy and discuss their position preferences. Women should be prepared for the unpredictability of their feelings in labour and for obstetric factors that may interfere with their choice of position. Equipment for non-supine births should be more midwife-friendly. In addition, midwives and students need to be able to gain experience in assisting births in non-supine positions.
AB - Aim. This paper is a report of a study to explore the views of midwives on women's positions during the second stage of labour. Background. Many authors recommend encouraging women to use positions that are most comfortable to them. Others advocate encouragement of non-supine positions, because offering 'choice' is not enough to reverse the strong cultural norm of giving birth in the supine position. Midwives' views on women's positions have rarely been explored. Method. Six focus groups were conducted in 2006-2007 with a purposive sample of 31 midwives. The data were interpreted using Thachuk's models of informed consent and informed choice. Findings. The models were useful in distinguishing between two different approaches of midwives to women's positions during labour. When giving informed consent, midwives implicitly or explicitly ask a woman's consent for what they themselves prefer. When offering informed choice, a woman's preference is the starting point, but midwives will suggest other options if this is in the woman's interest. Obstetric factors and working conditions are reasons to deviate from women's preferences. Conclusions. To give women an informed choice about birthing positions, midwives need to give them information during pregnancy and discuss their position preferences. Women should be prepared for the unpredictability of their feelings in labour and for obstetric factors that may interfere with their choice of position. Equipment for non-supine births should be more midwife-friendly. In addition, midwives and students need to be able to gain experience in assisting births in non-supine positions.
KW - Birthing positions
KW - Empirical research report
KW - Focus groups
KW - Informed choice
KW - Labour
KW - Midwives
KW - Primary care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=47849111603&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2008.04703.x
DO - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2008.04703.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 18727762
SN - 0309-2402
VL - 63
SP - 347
EP - 356
JO - Journal of advanced nursing
JF - Journal of advanced nursing
IS - 4
ER -