Developing a Supportive Care Plan for Women during Labor Based on the Logic Model

A supportive program during normal childbirth with a holistic approach could reduce the cesarean section rate and make childbirth a positive experience. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a supportive care plan for labor using the logic model.

The data generated through a grounded theory study were used to develop a program for supporting women during labor based on the logic model. A total of 25 mothers who referred to hospitals for labor as well as eight professionals were recruited through the purposive sampling in Mashhad, Iran during March 2014 to December 2016. The problems and needs of mothers, as well as the viewpoints and recommended strategies of professionals to meet those needs, were elicited through the semi-structured interviews. The stages of supportive program development included identifying the problems, defining the inputs, activities and outputs s well as identifying program outcomes.

In the developed care plan five areas of 'infrastructure', 'equipment', 'facilities', 'training', and 'processes' were classified in the inputs. Three areas of 'designing interventions', 'implementing interventions' and 'following ethical considerations' were categorized under the category of activities. Statements related to assessment were nominated as output. The short-term and long-term results related to the program’s intervention were labeled as outcomes.

The developed supportive care plan as a holistic program could be implemented instead of the existing programs. It will be a guide for both decision-makers and practitioners in terms of managing and supervising women in labour through providing support.