Partner support and the use of coping techniques in labour.

This study examined the relationship between partner support, use of pain control techniques and epidural anaesthesia in 80 primiparous women. It was found that the use of psychological 'pain control' techniques did not reduce the intensity of labour pain, nor did their use enable women to do without an epidural anaesthesic. However, the use of techniques did correlate with reduced frequency of anaesthesia when women were consistently supported and encouraged throughout labour, and when the labour was relatively short.