Dancing During Labor: Are Women Down to Boogie?

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Integrative Medicine
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• Social media trends highlight increased interest in dancing during late pregnancy and labor.
• Limited scientific evidence exists on the effects of intrapartum dance on labor pain, duration, and patient satisfaction.
• Feasibility studies are crucial for assessing participant willingness before prospective research, especially given enrollment challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess pregnant women's willingness to participate in a future study on low-impact dance during labor.
• To gauge interest in exploring the potential benefits of intrapartum dance interventions.
• To inform the design and feasibility of prospective research on dance during childbirth.

Main Methods:

• Anonymous survey distributed to English-speaking/reading pregnant women attending prenatal care.
• Data collected from June 2019 to July 2019 across three clinics.
• Survey included questions on interest in labor dancing and basic demographic information.

Main Results:

• 88.6% of surveyed pregnant women expressed interest in participating in a future study on low-impact labor dance.
• Caucasian women and those aged 35 and older showed less interest in future participation (P<0.05).
• Interest levels were not significantly affected by other demographic factors, pregnancy history, or activity levels.

Conclusions:

• A high level of interest exists among pregnant women for participating in research on low-impact dance during labor.
• Enrollment for future studies evaluating intrapartum dance may be more achievable than anticipated.
• Further research is warranted to explore the benefits of dance interventions in childbirth settings.