title: Women's preferences and received pain relief in childbirth - A prospective longitudinal study in a northern region of Sweden.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A range of alternatives in pain management during childbirth are available in the western countries. Women's preferences for and use of pain relief methods during labour is not fully investigated. The aim of this study was to describe what pain relief methods pregnant women preferred when asked in late pregnancy and to identify factors associated with preferred and received pain relief methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective longitudinal study in a northern region of Sweden (n = 936). Data were collected by three questionnaires. Odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval were calculated between preferred and received pain relief methods for several explanatory variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most preferred pain relief methods were also the most common received pain relief methods; nitrous oxide, bathing, breathing techniques, epidural analgesia and massage. The strongest factors for using different pain relief methods were primiparity and preferences. Women who used epidural analgesia, regardless of preference, were two to four times more likely to have a less positive birth experience.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women's preferences for a certain pain relief method were largely met. Greater differences were seen between background factors and preferences than the received pain relief methods. Preferences and primiparity were the most important factors for actually using pain relief. Epidural analgesia was associated with a less positive birth experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lindholm
authors.affiliation: Department of Women and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Nursing, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: Ingegerd.Hildingsson@miun.se.
authors.forename: Ingegerd
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hildingsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural; D001494:Baths; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D048949:Labor Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008405:Massage; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016017:Odds Ratio; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010298:Parity; D036801:Parturition; D057240:Patient Preference; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012119:Respiration; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009609:Nitrous Oxide
keywords: Birth experience; Labour pain; Pain management; Preference; Pregnancy