Effects of a pushing intervention on pain, fatigue and birthing experiences among Taiwanese women during the second stage of labour.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate maternal labour pain, fatigue, duration of the second stage of labour, the women's bearing-down experiences and the newborn infant Apgar scores when spontaneous pushing is used in an upright position.


METHODS
Quasi-experimental study.


METHODS
Medical centre in Taichung, Taiwan.


METHODS
66 Women giving birth at the hospital, with 33 primigravidas assigned to each group.


METHODS
During the second stage of labour, the women in the experimental group pushed from an upright position and were given support to push spontaneously; the women in the control group pushed from a supine position and were supported via Valsalva pushing.


METHODS
Pain scores were recorded at two evaluation time points: at 10 cm of cervical dilation and one hour after the first pain score evaluation. One to four hours after childbirth, the trained nurses collected the fatigue and pushing experience scores.


RESULTS
The women in the experimental group had a lower pain index (5.67 versus 7.15, p = 0.01), lower feelings of fatigue post birth (53.91 versus 69.39, p < 0.001), a shorter duration of the second stage of labour (91.0 versus 145.97, p = 0.02) and more positive labour experiences (39.88 versus 29.64, p < 0.001) compared with the control group. There was no significant difference in the Apgar score for newborn infants during either the first minute (7.70 versus 7.73, p = 0.72) or the fifth minute (8.91 versus 8.94, p = 0.64).


CONCLUSIONS
The pushing intervention during the second stage of labour lessened pain and fatigue, shortened the pushing time and enhanced the pushing experience.


CONCLUSIONS
Pushing interventions can yield increased satisfaction levels for women giving birth.
Taichung Veterans General Hospital, 160 Chung-Kang Road, Section 3, Taichung 40705, Taiwan.
Su-Chuan
SC
Chang
Min-Min
MM
Chou
Kuan-Chia
KC
Lin
Lie-Chu
LC
Lin
Yu-Lan
YL
Lin
Su-Chen
SC
Kuo
D000328:Adult; D005221:Fatigue / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D048949:Labor Pain / Q000451:nursing*; D007748:Labor Stage, Second / Q000502:physiology*; D008880:Midwifery / Q000379:methods; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D010358:Patient Participation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011312:Pressure; D016683:Supine Position; D013624:Taiwan; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D014636:Valsalva Maneuver; D055815:Young Adult