Pain Experience and Coping Strategies Employed by Women in Labor in a Secondary Health Facility in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
Abstract:
Labour pain experience
is distinctive and complex, and women use various coping strategies to cope with
it. Hence, this study attempted to explore pain experience
and coping strategies employed by women in labor in a secondary health facility
in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. A qualitative exploratory research design was used,
and a purposive sampling technique was used to select a total of ten (10) mothers
who delivered within 48hours in the healthcare facility. A total of three FGD sessions
were conducted, each had between 3 and 4 participants. The semi-structured interview
guide was used for data collection, and the data were analyzed using content analysis.
The women who participated in this study were between 20 and 42years of age, and
they perceived labour pain differently. Some of the women described labour pain
as very painful; others said the pain is normal, while some said the pain cannot
be compared with anything. The study revealed that younger women who are primiparous
perceived labor pain as more severe than the multiparous women. All the participants
said that birth information and instructions received from the midwives, as well
as the presence of caring midwives, help to relieve labour pains and consequently
influence their pain experience(s) positively. The coping strategies used varied
among participants, and deep breathing techniques, relaxation, and vertical positions
were the major coping strategies used. Therefore, the provision of adequate
labour information on coping strategies and the presence of caring midwives influenced
the labour experience(s) positively.
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