Effect of prenatal preparation classes on the duration of labor and delivery type in primiparous women

  Childbirth is a physiological process that must be accomplished without any interventions. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of prenatal preparation classes on the duration of labor and delivery type in primiparous women. This clinical trial was conducted on 100 primiparous women referring to the Sabalan Hospital in Ardabil, Iran, for prenatal care and delivery in 2017. The subjects were randomly assigned into two groups of intervention (n=50) and control (n=50). The intervention group participated in childbirth preparation classes (from 20th to 37th weeks of gestation) for eight 2-hour sessions implemented biweekly by a midwife. The control group received only usual pregnancy care. Trainings in the intervention group included the anatomy and physiology of women's genital organ, modifiable activity during pregnancy, personal health, abdominal breathing, nutrition, high-risk pregnancy, mental health, types of delivery, postpartum problems, newborn, and breastfeeding. After the initiation of labor, the duration of active phase, second stage of labor, and method of delivery were recorded by the researcher for both groups. The data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 18) using t-test, Chi-square, and Fisher’s exact test. P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The results of the study showed that the prenatal preparation classes reduced the duration of delivery (P<0.001) and rate of cesarean section (P=0/023). Prenatal preparation classes led to the reduction of labor duration and rate of cesarean section. Therefore, it is suggested to implement these preparation classes at a wider scope in prenatal care centers.