Childbirth: Six out of 10 women who suffered a lengthy labour giving birth to their first child believe the experience will affect them for life, research has revealed.
The study found that 60 per cent of first-time mothers who had a prolonged labour believed it would stay with them forever. But despite this, more than eight out of 10 still found giving birth exciting, according to the study in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
The Swedish researchers, from Umea University, looked at 84 women who had prolonged labours, either with assisted vaginal or Caesarean deliveries. They compared their experiences with 171 women who had normal births. The researchers found that a third of women who had a prolonged labour felt negative about the whole experience, compared with just 4 per cent of those with a normal delivery. Only 12 per cent of women with a normal birth felt the experience would affect them for life, compared with 60 per cent of those in the prolonged labour group.
More than six out of 10 women with prolonged labours agreed with the statement "it was so painful I thought I was going to die". And 69 per cent said that "pain relief during delivery saved me". Less than half (47 per cent) of those with normal deliveries agreed with both statements.
Lead researcher Astrid Nystedt said: "Pain was the main factor mentioned by those who had a negative birth experience. However, 94 per cent of all the women surveyed were still positive about the support they received from their midwife and partner." - PA