Jon Adams1, Jane Frawley2, Amie Steel3, Alex Broom4, David Sibbritt5. 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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.
Abstract
AIM: 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.
AIM: 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.