First do no harm - interventions during labor and maternal satisfaction: a descriptive cross-sectional study.

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Maternal Health
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Indiscriminate labor interventions can jeopardize maternal and infant well-being.
• Physiological childbirth can be disrupted by unnecessary medical procedures.
• Assessing the impact of labor interventions on maternal satisfaction is crucial for improving care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of frequent labor interventions on maternal satisfaction.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for labor management decisions.
• To highlight the importance of minimizing interventions in childbirth.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive study design involving 351 pregnant women in Kars, Turkey.
• Data collected via sociodemographic/obstetric survey, maternal satisfaction scale, and intervention observation form.
• Quantitative analysis of intervention rates and their correlation with satisfaction scores.

Main Results:

• Maternal satisfaction scores were generally low (139.59 ± 29.02).
• High rates of interventions observed: continuous electronic fetal monitoring (95.4%), vaginal irrigation (99.1%), and induction (70.7%).
• Specific interventions, including induction, continuous electronic fetal monitoring, and episiotomy, were associated with lower satisfaction (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• High rates of medical interventions negatively impact women's childbirth experience.
• Decisions for intrapartum interventions require thorough medical evidence assessment.
• Interdisciplinary teams must ensure caregivers adhere to the principle of 'first, do no harm'.