title: Use of pharmacological and non-pharmacological labour pain management techniques and their relationship to maternal and infant birth outcomes: examination of a nationally representative sample of 1835 pregnant women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  women use various labour pain management techniques during birth. The objective of this study is to investigate women׳s use of pharmacological and non-pharmacological labour pain management techniques in relation to birth outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  a sub-survey of a nationally representative sample of pregnant women (n=1835) from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women׳s Health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  our analysis identified women׳s use of water for labour pain management as decreasing the likelihood of their baby being admitted to special care nursery (OR=0.42, p<0.004) whereas the use of epidural increased this likelihood (OR=3.38, p<0.001) as well as for instrumental childbirth (OR=7.27, p<0.001). Epidural and pethidine use decreased women׳s likelihood of continuing breast-feeding (ORs=0.68 and 0.59, respectively, both p<0.01) whereas the use of breathing techniques and massage for pain control increased the likelihood of women continuing breast-feeding (ORs=1.72 and 1.62, respectively, both p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  our study illustrates associations between the use of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological labour pain management techniques and selected birth outcomes while controlling for confounding variables. There remain significant gaps in the evidence base for the use of non-pharmacological labour pain control methods and our findings provide a platform with which to develop a broad clinical research programme around this topic.
authors: Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Level 7, Building 10, 235-253 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW 2006, Australia. Electronic address: Jon.adams@uts.edu.au.
authors: Jon
authors: J
authors: Adams
authors: Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Level 7, Building 10, 235-253 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW 2006, Australia. Electronic address: Jane.frawley@uts.edu.au.
authors: Jane
authors: J
authors: Frawley
authors: Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Level 7, Building 10, 235-253 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW 2006, Australia; Endeavour College of Natural Health, level 2, 269 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia. Electronic address: Amie.steel@uts.edu.au.
authors: Amie
authors: A
authors: Steel
authors: School of Social Science, Level 3, Michie Building, St Lucia Campus, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia. Electronic address: a.broom@uq.edu.au.
authors: Alex
authors: A
authors: Broom
authors: David Sibbritt Faculty of Health, UTS, Level 7, Building 10, 235-253 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW 2006, Australia. Electronic address: david.sibbritt@uts.edu.au.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Sibbritt
mesh_terms: D015667:Acupuncture Analgesia / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016362:Analgesia, Obstetrical / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D000068104:Infant Health / Q000592:standards; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D048949:Labor Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008405:Massage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000068097:Maternal Health / Q000592:standards; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D005283:Fentanyl
keywords: Childbirth; Infant health; Labour pain; Pain management; Pregnancy outcome