The effect of supportive intrapartum care during birth in Jordan: a quasi-experimental study

Background/Aims Childbirth is an important and unique event for mothers and families, but can cause fear and anxiety. All mothers have the right to adequate support for labour and a respectful birth. This study aimed to investigate the impact of supportive intrapartum care on women's perceptions of fear, pain and control during childbirth, as compared to routine care. Methods A quasi-experimental study was conducted at the Jordan University Hospital with 134 pregnant women between August 2019 and January 2020. Participants were assigned to either the intervention (n=65) or control group (n=69). Data were collected using a sociodemographic form, a visual analogue scale for pain, the Wijma delivery expectancy questionnaire (B) for fear during birth, and the perceived support and control in birth scale. Results Women receiving supportive care reported lower pain scores during the latent (t=4.15, P<0.001), active (t=4.64, P<0.001) and transition (t=2.34, P<0.05) phases of labour, less fear (t=8.66, P<0.001), and higher perceived control (t=12.46, P<0.001) and support (t=10.54, P<0.001), and had a shorter labour (t=10.367, P<0.001) compared to women receiving routine care. Low control (β=-0.35), high levels of pain (β=0.20) and low support (β=-0.19) contributed to fear during childbirth. Conclusions Supportive intrapartum care decreased women's perceptions of pain and fear and improved perceptions of control and support. Training and support for midwives could be translated to similar settings in middle-income countries. Policies directed at routine implementation of supportive intrapartum care are essential to decrease pain and fear of childbirth.