Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Feb 15;18(2):e0274559.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274559. eCollection 2023.

The effect of shared decision-making in choosing the method of labor analgesia on childbirth experience among primiparous women

Maryam Shahveisi  1 , Roghaiyeh Nourizadeh  2 , Esmat Mehrabi  2
Affiliations

The effect of shared decision-making in choosing the method of labor analgesia on childbirth experience among primiparous women

Maryam Shahveisi et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Childbearing women reported moderate and sometimes low levels of autonomy in decision-making with their health care providers especially about their pain relief type and which may affect their childbirth experience. There is limited evidence about the effect of shared decision-making about childbirth pain relief on childbirth experience and satisfaction.

Objective: The present study aimed to assess the effect of shared decision-making in choosing the method of labor analgesia on childbirth experience and satisfaction among primiparous women.

Methods: This interventional study was conducted on 66 primiparous women with 38-42 weeks gestational age and with symptoms of labor and childbirth onset. Women were assigned into the intervention and control groups in a ratio of 1: 1 using blocked randomization. The intervention group received shared decision making about the advantages and disadvantages of labor analgesia methods, and the control group received routine care. Questionnaires, including obstetrics and demographic characteristics, Labor Agentry Scale (LAS), McKay Childbirth Satisfaction Rating Scale (MCSRS), Support and Control In Birth (SCIB) were completed. Data were analyzed by SPSS24 software and independent t-test and ANCOVA were used.

Result: After the intervention, the mean score of childbirth experience in the intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group [Mean Difference (MD): 6.77, 95% CI: 2.72 to 10.82, (P <0.001)]. Further, the mean score of childbirth satisfaction in the intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group [MD: 19.06, 95% CI: 9.63 to 28.49, (P<0.001)]. The mean score of control and support during childbirth and its subscales in the intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group after the intervention [MD: 17.21, 95% CI: 9.40 to 25.03, (P <0.001)].

Conclusion: It is recommended that mothers should be involved in treatment decisions during childbirth since they are considered an important part of providing care during labor and childbirth.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests for this study.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Flow chart of the study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Légaré F, LeBlanc A, Robitaille H, Turcotte S. The decisional conflict scale: moving from the individual to the dyad level. Zeitschrift für Evidenz, Fortbildung und Qualität im Gesundheitswesen. 2012;106(4):247–52. doi: 10.1016/j.zefq.2012.02.021 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Wirtz V, Cribb A, Barber N. Patient–doctor decision-making about treatment within the consultation—A critical analysis of models. Social science & medicine. 2006;62(1):116–24. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2005.05.017 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Entwistle VA, Watt IS. Patient involvement in treatment decision-making: the case for a broader conceptual framework. Patient education and counseling. 2006;63(3):268–78. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2006.05.002 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ford E, Ayers S, Wright DB. Measurement of maternal perceptions of support and control in birth (SCIB). Journal of women’s health. 2009;18(2):245–52. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2008.0882 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Boland L, Graham ID, Légaré F, Lewis K, Jull J, Shephard A, et al.. Barriers and facilitators of pediatric shared decision-making: a systematic review. Implementation Science. 2019;14(1):1–25. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types