title: Experiences and perceptions of Ghanaian midwives on labour pain and religious beliefs and practices influencing their care of women in labour.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Beliefs surrounding pain during childbirth has biblical foundations that contribute to labour pain being viewed as a natural phenomenon. Contemporary health care promotes evidence-based labour pain management but the faith of the midwife may influence her midwifery practice regarding labour pain management. Therefore this study sought to gain in-depth insight into the experiences and perceptions of midwives regarding labour pain and the religious beliefs and practices influencing their care of women in labour in Ghana.
  
  
  METHODS
  The design of the study was an interpretive phenomenology using individual in-depth interviews. The study participants were 27 Ghanaian female midwives of various religious backgrounds. Interviews were conducted in English, audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Colaizzi's qualitative analysis procedures were employed concurrently with data collection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three major themes were generated: religious beliefs about labour pain, religious practices in labour and religious artefacts used in labour. The midwives' faith and their experiences during their midwifery practice were inter-connected. The midwives believed labour pain was natural and religious practices are important to prevent complications. Religious artefacts used in labour included anointing oil and water, necklaces, rubber bands, bracelets, stickers and beads.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is important that midwives provide an enabling environment for women in labour to practice their faith and they should employ context-appropriate strategies to effectively manage labour pain that takes into account the religious beliefs and practices of women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Adult Health, School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 43, Legon, Accra, Ghana. aziatol@yahoo.com.|Department of Adult Health, School of Nursing, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana. aziatol@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7813-5525
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aziato
authors.affiliation: Department of Adult Health, School of Nursing, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Hannah Antwi
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Ohemeng
authors.affiliation: College of Education, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Cephas N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Omenyo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D006801:Humans; D048949:Labor Pain / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D008875:Middle Aged; D008880:Midwifery / Q000379:methods; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000523:psychology*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012068:Religion and Medicine
keywords: Midwifery practice; Qualitative research; Religion; Religious artefacts; Spirituality