The Effects of Complementary Alternative Methods in Labor on Fear of Birth, Birth Satisfaction, and Childbirth Perceptions

Year 2025, Volume: 35 Issue: 1, 31 - 41, 28.02.2025

Esra Karataş Okyay , Sümeyye Barut

https://doi.org/10.54005/geneltip.1480225

Abstract

Aim: This research was conducted to compare the fear of birth, birth satisfaction, and childbirth perceptions of postpartum women using complementary alternative methods in labor.
Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 391 volunteer pregnant women at a university hospital in Türkiye. Data were collected in two stages: during pregnancy and at the end of delivery. A personal information form was completed by face-to-face interview at 37-41 weeks of pregnancy. At the end of delivery, the puerperants were contacted by telephone and questions about the complementary alternative methods they used in their deliveries, Traumatic Childbirth Perception Scale (TCPS), Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ) Version B and Birth Satisfaction Scale-Short (BSS-S) Form were applied.
Results: 69.8% of women used complementary alternative methods during delivery. In the regression model, younger maternal age (OR:0.933), being a high school (OR:2.343) and university graduate (OR:2.165), moderate-income level (OR:7.259), being primiparous (OR:0.489), participation in prenatal education classes(OR:0.320), and receiving 4 or more prenatal care (OR:2.476) were determined to be the predictors of the use of complementary alternative methods at birth. İt was determined that the mean score of the W-DEQ Version B of those who used complementary alternative methods was significantly lower than those who did not use complementary alternative methods (p=0.024) and the mean score of the BSS-R was significantly higher (p<0.001).
Conclusion: In the study, it was determined that postpartum women who used complementary alternative methods experienced less fear of birth and had higher birth satisfaction.

Keywords

Complementary alternative methods, birth satisfaction, fear of birth, postpartum, traumatic childbirth perception

Ethical Statement

Fırat University's Non-Interventional Research Ethics Committee (Session Number: 382022/15- 38)

Supporting Institution

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Thanks

We thank the pregnant women who participated in the study.

Doğumdaki Tamamlayıcı Alternatif Yöntemlerin Doğum Korkusuna, Doğum Memnuniyetine ve Doğum Algısına Etkisi

Abstract

Amaç: Bu araştırma, doğumdaki tamamlayıcı alternatif yöntemlerin kullanım durumuna göre lohusaların doğum korkusu, doğum memnuniyeti ve doğum algılarının karşılaştırılması amacıyla yapılmıştır.
Gereç ve Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı, kesitsel nitelikte tasarlanan bu çalışma, Türkiye’de bir üniversite hastanesinde gönüllü 391 gebe ile yürütülmüştür. Veriler gebelikte ve doğum sonunda olmak üzere iki aşamada toplanmıştır. Verilerin toplanmasında gebeliğin 37-41. haftalarında kişisel bilgi formu yüz yüze görüşme yöntemi ile, doğum sonunda ise telefonla ulaşılan lohusalara, doğumlarında kullandıkları tamamlayıcı alternatif yönteme yönelik sorular, Travmatik Doğum Algısı Ölçeği (TDAÖ), Wijma Doğum Beklentisi/Deneyimi Ölçeği B Versiyonu ve Doğum memnuniyet ölçeği-Kısa formu (DMÖ-K) uygulanmıştır.
Bulgular: Çalışmada lohusaların %69.8’inin doğumda herhangi bir tamamlayıcı alternatif yöntem kullandığı belirlenmiştir. Regresyon modelinde daha genç anne yaşının (OR: 0.933), lise (OR: 2.343) ve üniversite (OR: 2.165) mezunu olmanın, orta düzeyde gelir durumunun (OR: 7.259), primipar olmanın (OR: 0.489), doğum öncesi eğitim sınıflarına katılmanın (OR: 0.320) ve doğum öncesi dönemde 4 ve üzeri bakım almanın (OR: 2.476) doğumda tamamlayıcı alternatif yöntem kullanımının yordayıcıları olduğu belirlenmiştir. Wijma Doğum Beklentisi/Deneyimi Ölçeği B Versiyonu ve DMÖ-K puan ortalamaları karşılaştırıldığında, tamamlayıcı alternatif yöntem kullananların Wijma Doğum Beklentisi/Deneyimi Ölçeği B Versiyonu puan ortalamasının, tamamlayıcı alternatif yöntem kullanmayanlardan anlamlı düzeyde daha düşük olduğu (p=0.024) ve DMÖ-K puan ortalamasının ise anlamlı düzeyde daha yüksek olduğu saptanmıştır (p<0.001).
Sonuç: Çalışmada tamamlayıcı alternatif yöntem kullanan lohusaların daha az doğum korkusu yaşadıkları ve doğum memnuniyetlerinin daha yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir.

Keywords

Doğum korkusu, doğum memnuniyeti, lohusa, tamamlayıcı alternatif yöntemler, travmatik doğum algısı

References

• 1. Zhang X, Organization WH. Traditional medicine strategy 2002 2005. Ginebra. 2002.
• 2. Health UDo, Services H. Complementary, alternative, or Integrative Health: What’s in a name. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. 2021.
• 3. Watanabe A, Inoue S, Okatsu A, Eto H, Oguro M, Kataoka Y. Complementary and alternative medicine use by pregnant women in Japan: a pilot survey. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 2023;23.
• 4. James PB, Bah AJ, Tommy MS, Wardle J, Steel A. Herbal medicines use during pregnancy in Sierra Leone: An exploratory cross-sectional study. Women Birth. 2018;31(5):e302-e9.
• 5. Clarke TC, Barnes PM, Black LI, Stussman BJ, Nahin RL. Use of Yoga, Meditation, and Chiropractors Among U.S. Adults Aged 18 and Over. NCHS Data Brief. 2018(325):1-8.
• 6. Yusof J, Mahdy ZA, Noor RM. Use of complementary and alternative medicine in pregnancy and its impact on obstetric outcome. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2016;25:155-63.
• 7. Martínez JM, Delgado M. Nivel de dolor y elección de analgesia en el parto determinada por la realización de educación maternal. Revista chilena de obstetricia y ginecología. 2013;78(4):293-7.
• 8. Adams J, Lui CW, Sibbritt D, Broom A, Wardle J, Homer C, et al. Women's use of complementary and alternative medicine during pregnancy: a critical review of the literature. Birth. 2009;36(3):237-45.
• 9. Steel A, Adams J, Sibbritt D, Broom A, Frawley J, Gallois C. Relationship between complementary and alternative medicine use and incidence of adverse birth outcomes: an examination of a nationally representative sample of 1835 Australian women. Midwifery. 2014;30(12):1157-65.
• 10. Hall HR, Jolly K. Women's use of complementary and alternative medicines during pregnancy: a cross-sectional study. Midwifery. 2014;30(5):499-505.
• 11. Smith CA, Collins CT, Cyna AM, Crowther CA. Complementary and alternative therapies for pain management in labor. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003(2): Cd003521.
• 12. Topcu İ, Dissiz M. Manipulative and Body-based Complementary/Alternative Methods in Labor. Journal of Nursing Science. 2018;1(2):33-7.
• 13. De Molina-Fernández I, Rubio-Rico L, Roca-Biosca A, Jimenez-Herrera M, De la Flor-Lopez M, Sirgo A. Ansiedad y miedos de las gestantes ante el parto: la importancia de su detección. Rev Port de Enferm Saúde Mental. 2015;13:17-24.
• 14. Mazoni SR, de Carvalho EC, dos Santos CB. Clinical validation of the nursing diagnosis of labor pain. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2013;21 Spec No:88-96.
• 15. Salud OMdl. Estrategia de la OMS sobre medicina tradicional 2014-2023. OMS Ginebra; 2013.
• 16. Yılar Erkek Z, Pasinlioğlu T. Complementary treatment methods used in labor pain. Anatolian Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences. 2016;19(1):71-7.
• 17. Steel A, Adams J, Sibbritt D, Broom A, Frawley J, Gallois C. The influence of complementary and alternative medicine use in pregnancy on labor pain management choices: results from a nationally representative sample of 1,835 women. J Altern Complement Med. 2014;20(2):87-97.
• 18. Öztürk R, Emi Nov A, Ertem G. Use of complementary and alternative medicine in pregnancy and labor pain: a cross-sectional study from Turkey. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2022;22(1):332.
• 19. Kacar N. Nonpharmacological Midwifery Practices in the Management of Labor Pain. Journal of Health Sciences and Research. 2020;2(2):113-30.
• 20. Jones L, Othman M, Dowswell T, Alfirevic Z, Gates S, Newburn M, et al. Pain management for women in labor: an overview of systematic reviews. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;2012(3): Cd009234.
• 21. Koc Z, Sağlam Z, Topatan S. Determination of the usage of complementary and alternative medicine among pregnant women in the Northern Region of Turkey. Collegian. 2017;24(6):533-9.
• 22. Yuvaci HU, Yazici E, Yazici AB, Cevrioglu S. How often do women use non-drug treatment methods for psychiatric symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum periods? Ment Illn. 2019;11(1):7988.
• 23. Yalnız H, Canan F, Ekti Genc R, Kuloglu MM, Gecici Ö. Development of a scale of traumatic childbirth perception. Turkish Medical Journal. 2016;8(3):81-8.
• 24. Göncü Serhatlıoğlu S, Karahan N, Hollins Martin CJ, Martin CR. Construct and content validity of the Turkish Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (T-BSS-R). J Reprod Infant Psychol. 2018;36(3):235-45.
• 25. Ucar E, Kizilkaya Beji N. The study on the reliability and validity of the Turkish form of scale B version of the wijma delivery expectancy/experience questionnaire [Master's Thesis]. Istanbul: Haliç University; 2013.
• 26. Hunt KJ, Coelho HF, Wider B, Perry R, Hung SK, Terry R, et al. Complementary and alternative medicine use in England: results from a national survey. Int J Clin Pract. 2010;64(11):1496-502.
• 27. Stöcker A, Mehnert-Theuerkauf A, Hinz A, Ernst J. Utilization of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by women with breast cancer or gynecological cancer. PLoS One. 2023;18(5):e0285718.
• 28. Cannella BL, Yarcheski A, Mahon NE. Meta-Analyses of Predictors of Health Practices in Pregnant Women. West J Nurs Res. 2018;40(3):425-46.
• 29. Güney E, Ünver H, Bal Z, Uçar T. Psychosocial factors and health practices in pregnancy: A cross-sectional study. Int J Nurs Pract. 2022;28(3):e13021.
• 30. Thomson G, Feeley C, Moran VH, Downe S, Oladapo OT. Women's experiences of pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain relief methods for labor and childbirth: a qualitative systematic review. Reprod Health. 2019;16(1):71.
• 31. Barnes LAJ, Barclay L, McCaffery K, Aslani P. Women's health literacy and the complex decision-making process to use complementary medicine products in pregnancy and lactation. Health Expect. 2019;22(5):1013-27.
• 32. Hassan Saied Khalil H, Salah Shalaby Salama N, Abdelhamed Deyab B, Abd Elazeem Abd Elsalam Fathla N, Ali Maher Nashaat N. Effect of Instructional Guidelines on Pregnant Women'Knowledge and Practice regarding Complementary Therapies. Egyptian Journal of Health Care. 2021;12(1):1419-34.
• 33. Steel A, Adams J, Sibbritt D, Broom A, Gallois C, Frawley J. Utilisation of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners within maternity care provision: results from a nationally representative cohort study of 1,835 pregnant women. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2012;12:146.
• 34. Yuksel H, Cayir Y, Kosan Z, Tastan K. Effectiveness of breathing exercises during the second stage of labor on labor pain and duration: a randomized controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2017;15(6):456-61.
• 35. Karacan E, Çevik S. The effect of breathing exercises and virtual reality applications performed during pregnancy and delivery action on birth pain, birth duration, and birth satisfaction level [Doctoral Thesis]. Gaziantep Gaziantep University; 2022.
• 36. Öncü Celik H, Okumus F. Effect of birth pain and the duration of birth of acupressure on labor practices [Master's Thesis]. Institute of Health Sciences: Istanbul Medipol University; 2016.
• 37. Bayri Bingol F, Demirgöz Bal M, Yİlmaz Esencan T, Karakoç A, Küçükoğlu S, Ciftci R, et al. Evaluation of the Effect of Physical Support on the Pregnancy on Birth Outcome. Journal of Academic Research in Nursing (JAREN). 2020;6(3):506-13.
• 38. Yilmaz Esencan T, Rathfisch G. Effects of Yoga and Meditation on the Birth Process. Altern Ther Health Med. 2023;29(1):6-14.
• 39. Lewis L, Hauck YL, Butt J, Hornbuckle J. Obstetric and neonatal outcomes for women intending to use immersion in water for labor and birth in Western Australia (2015-2016): A retrospective audit of clinical outcomes. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2018;58(5):539-47.
• 40. Irmak Vural P, Aslan E. Emotional freedom techniques and breathing awareness to reduce childbirth fear: A randomized controlled study. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2019;35:224-31.
• 41. Burns E, Blamey C, Ersser SJ, Lloyd AJ, Barnetson L. The use of aromatherapy in intrapartum midwifery practice an observational study. Complement Ther Nurs Midwifery. 2000;6(1):33-4.
• 42. Uludağ E, Mete S. The effect of nursing care provided based on the philosophy of hypnobirthing on fear, pain, duration, satisfaction and cost of labor: a single-blind randomized controlled study. Health Care Women Int. 2021;42(4-6):678-90.
• 43. Erisen Y, Kaya N. The effect on the mother-newborn outcomes and birth satisfaction of hydrotherapy in vaginal deliveries [Master's Thesis]. Graduate Education Institute: Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa; 2022.
• 44. Geceli M, Avcı N. The effect of breathing exercises applied in labor on pregnant satisfaction and birth process [Master's Thesis]. Graduate Education Institute: Biruni University; 2022.
• 45. Iskender Ö, Kaplan S. The association between quality of life and complementary and alternative medicine use in pregnant women with hyperemesis gravidarum. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2021;47(6):2005-13.