Birth
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Immersion in water in the first stage of labor: a randomized controlled trial.
Current forms of analgesia often have significant side effects for women in labor. Bathing in warm water during labor has been reported to increase a woman's comfort level and cause a reduction in painful contractions. The objective of this trial was to compare immersion in warm water during labor with traditional pain management for a range of clinical and psychological outcomes. ⋯ Bathing in labor confers no clear benefits for the laboring woman but may contribute to adverse effects in the neonate.
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Few studies have examined women's preferences for birth. The object of this study was to determine the incidence of women's preferred type of birth, and the reasons and factors associated with their preference. ⋯ Women who preferred a cesarean section were more likely to have experienced this type of birth previously and to have negative feelings about it. To decrease women's preference for a cesarean section, practitioners should reduce the primary cesarean delivery rate and improve the quality of emotional care for women who require a cesarean section. Caregivers should engage in a sensitive discussion of the risks and benefits of various birth options, including a vaginal birth after cesarean, with women who have previously experienced a cesarean birth before they make decisions about mode of delivery in a subsequent pregnancy.