THE EFFECT OF LABOR DANCE ON THE LABOR PAIN, BIRTH SATISFACTION AND NEONATAL OUTCOMES

THE EFFECT OF LABOR DANCE ON THE LABOR PAIN, BIRTH SATISFACTION, NEWBORN APGAR SCORE AND OXYGEN SATURATION LEVEL

Objective: This research was conducted to determine the effects of labor dance on perceived birth pain, birth satisfaction, and neonatal outcomes.

Design: This research was an experimental study with three groups. The data were collected during the active phase of labor as three groups; Dance Practitioner Midwife Group (DPMG-40 pregnant), Dancing Practitioner Spouse / Partner Group (DPSG-40 pregnant) and Control Group (CG-80 pregnant).

Setting: This research was conducted at Ministry of Health Izmir Urla State Hospital between April 1, 2017 and October 31, 2017.

Participants: The pregnant women in the DPMG danced with the midwives in charge of the delivery room and following the pregnancy, but those in the DPSG danced with their spouse/partners during the active phase of labor. Labor pains were measured before the labor dance was begun (when the vaginal dilatation was 4 cm) and after the labor dance (when the vaginal dilatation was 9 cm) using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). In the postpartum period, the first, fifth, and tenth-minute Apgar scores and oxygen saturation levels of the newborns were measured and recorded. The Mackey Childbirth Satisfaction Rating Scale was applied to evaluate the women's birth satisfaction at the end of the first hour. In the Control Group, only routine practices were implemented in the hospital, and data were collected as indicated in the experimental groups.

During a labor dance, pregnant women's hands were wrapped around the neck of the partner (midwife or spouse), the pregnant woman put her head on her partner's shoulder, and they swung left to right accompanied by calming music. During the labor dance, the partner accompanied the pregnant woman's swinging movements and massaged the pregnant woman's sacral area at the same time. The study showed a positive effect of labor dancing on decreasing birth pain and improving satisfaction and neonatal outcomes whether the dance was performed with the spouse or the midwife during the intrapartum period.

Inclusion Criteria:

Those who were admitted to the Ministry of Health Urla State Hospital for labor

• Those whose cervical dilatation between 4 and 8 cm.
• Those who had received labor dance training by attending Prenatal Training with their spouses/partners in perinatal period.
• Those who met the inclusion criteria (Volunteering, term pregnancy (37-41 gestational weeks), single foetus, not having any pregnancy complication (oligohydramniosis and polihydramniosis, placenta previa, pre-eclampsia, premature rupture of membrane, presentation anomalies, intrauterine growth retardation, intrauterine death, macrosomic baby, foetal distress etc.)

Exclusion Criteria:

When delivered by cesarean sectio,

• Labor was inducted
• Narcotic analgesics used