Hypnosis and hypnobirthing for labour - a critical selective narrative review

The provision of woman-centred care is at the heart of midwifery practice, and there appear to be increasing numbers of women choosing alternative forms of support for their childbearing journey. Women are often fearful of the experience of labour and birth, and in particular express concern about pain and its management; the literature shows that fear of childbearing is associated with increased pain (Leeman et al 2003). Although there are many pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to managing the pain of labour, these depend on availability, women's preferences, and on the woman's perception of their efficacy. This literature review focuses on the use of hypnosis, including complex programmes of antenatal preparation known as hypnobirthing, as a means of coping with the experience of labour and birth. A key word search of the literature was carried out to identify published research and literature on this topic. The articles chosen for critical review will be evaluated and explored.