Non-pharmacological interventions of pain management used during labour; an exploratory descriptive qualitative study of puerperal women in Adidome Government Hospital of the Volta Region, Ghana

Abstract

Plain Language Summary During childbirth, women have complained of severe pains as health personnel over the years keep looking for appropriate means to alleviate the pain. We therefore studied women with children less than 42 days to understand their perspective on the use of non-drug methods in relieving pain during birth. With the intention of exploring this phenomenon we had an interview with 17 women in the Adidome government hospital. The women showed that labour is a very painful experience. The methods they adopted in reducing pain included shouting, walking around the hospital, crying or screaming, staying calm and snapping the fingers. These women were generally happy with the care that was rendered by midwives. Other methods used to reduce pain were taking deep breaths, talking with a family member or friend, taking a bath, assuming a lying position and receiving intravenous infusion. Women who had their husband present during labour said it helped their pain endurance. We therefore suggested that midwives should be encouraging and supportive of women who are in labour and if possible, allow their spouses into the birth room to augment the pain adaptation ability. Also, labour wards should have sound resilient so that women can make any sound if they so wish to.

Keywords

• Pain
• Childbirth
• Management
• Nonpharmacological
• Labour
• Puerperal