The effect of prenatal preparation classes on labor pain intensity, mother's satisfaction of delivery experience and some outcomes of normal vaginal delivery in nulliparous women

Pregnancy and delivery are of nature wonderful phenomenon that should be done with natural process without intervention. This study was performed with aim to evaluate the effects of prenatal preparation classes on labor pain intensity, mother's satisfaction of delivery experience, and some outcomes of normal vaginal delivery in nulliparous women.

This quasi-experimental interventional study was done in 2022-2023 on 100 nulliparous women who were admitted in Sabalan hospital of Ardabil city for prenatal care and delivery from January to April of 2023. The samples were placed in two groups of receiving training and control (n=50 per group). Data collection tool was questionnaire. The group receiving training participated in prenatal preparation classes and the control group received pregnancy usual care. Then labor pain intensity after start of labor pain and at the end of first stage of labor, and at the end of second stage, need for episiotomy and prineal laceration, and need for oxytocin during labor were recorded. Immediately after delivery, first minute Apgar score and mother's satisfaction of delivery, and ultimately one hour after delivery, initiation of breast feeding were investigated and recorded by the researcher. The data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 26), Chi-square, t-test, Mann-Whitney U and Fisher tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Prenatal educations significantly reduced labor pain intensity, need for episiotomy, prineal laceration, need for augmentation with oxyto cin (P<0.001) and also increased mother's satisfaction of delivery experience, first minute Apgar score and early onset of breast feeding (P<0.001).

The prenatal preparation classes have many positive outcomes; therefore, it is suggested to be used more seriously and widely in all pregnancy and childbirth care centers.