Midwifery
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The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has become increasingly prevalent in industrialised countries, with women being the most prolific users. Some women continue to consume these therapies when they become pregnant. ⋯ Many women use complementary and alternative medicine when they are pregnant. Further research is needed to gain a greater understanding of the true prevalence and expectant women's motivation for the use of complementary and alternative medicine. Health-care professionals are encouraged to ask women about their use of these treatments and seek out relevant information.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of birth ball exercise on pain and self-efficacy during childbirth: a randomised controlled trial in Taiwan.
To examine the effectiveness of a birth ball exercise programme during childbirth by measuring childbirth self-efficacy and childbirth pain. In addition, it tested the mediating effects of childbirth self-efficacy on the relationship between the birth ball exercise programme and childbirth pain. ⋯ Clinical implementation of the birth ball exercise programme could be an effective adjunctive tool to improve childbirth self-efficacy and reduce pain among women in labour. On the basis of our mediating model, the results further suggest that confidence is greater after prenatal preparation powerfully related to decreased pain perception and decreased medication/analgesia use during labour.
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The postpartum period presents several challenges related to learning infant care tasks, getting to know the infant and fulfilling self-expectations as parents. There is a need to evaluate the effectiveness of information-technology-based interventions that support parenting during this period. ⋯ Both intervention and control mothers' and fathers' parenting satisfaction and PSE became more positive during the postpartum period. However, no intervention effects were found. In the future, it would be interesting to study longer-term effects and more specific groups of parents. The results indicate that online support has the potential to reach parents from diverse backgrounds. More research is needed on gender differences and user preferences. More interactive methods are needed to support parents' affective skills related to PSE.