Prenatal Education Strategies Designed to Support Women's Mobility During Labor: A Scoping Review

To identify prenatal education strategies that support women's mobility during labor and to examine how these strategies address childbirth self-efficacy and informed decision-making as complementary capabilities relevant to active participation during labor.

A scoping review (updated October 12, 2025) searched six bibliographic databases and one gray-literature database using predefined eligibility criteria. Studies on prenatal education that addressed women's preparation for mobility and upright positions during labor, including related dimensions of decision-making and self-efficacy, were included. Screening and data extraction were performed independently in duplicate, with consensus procedures. Findings are presented narratively and in tables/figures.

Thirty articles were included, predominantly primary studies (n = 27; 90.0%). The review identified 15 studies that explicitly operationalized mobility/upright positions as a structured, primary strategy, alongside additional studies that mentioned mobility without a structured focus. Three specific strategies to promote active labor were described: a birth ball exercise program, the Labor Hopscotch Framework, and birth plan counseling. Practices such as yoga, mindfulness, and experiential/discovery-based learning addressed body awareness, connections between movement and fetal positioning, and women's comfort and confidence through active engagement.

Despite recommendations to inform expectant women about active-labor options in prenatal education, relatively few studies provided structured, mobility-focused strategies. Where present, studies reported greater childbirth confidence, use of non-pharmacological pain relief, lower pain, and increased use of upright positions. A persistent research gap remains regarding targeted prenatal education that prepares women to make informed choices about mobility and positioning during labor.