The Effects of Natural Childbirth Versus Normal Labor on Duration of Labor of Primiparous Women.

Objective: This research aimed to compare the duration of labor in phase 1, 2, and 3 of primiparous women who have a natural childbirth and those who have a normal labor. Material and Methods: The subjects of this research were 80 primiparous women. They were divided into two groups: 40 in an experimental group and 40 in a control group. The experimental group received natural childbirth program in 6 aspects: 1) humanized health care, 2) psychosocial and emotional support, 3) avoiding routine interventions, 4) not disturbing the natural process of birth, 5) use of non-pharmacological pain relief methods, and 6) strong promotion of the natural process of birth. A questionnaire regarding the duration of labor in phase 1, 2, and 3 was used to collect the data. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and independent t-test. Results: The average scores of the duration of labor in phase 1, 2, and 3 of the experimental group with the natural childbirth were significantly shorter than those of the control group with normal labor (p<0.001, p<0.05, and p<0.05, respectively). Conclusion: Natural childbirth is beneficial to primiparous women in terms of the duration of labor. Natural childbirth is an efficient type of labor and it should be widely promoted.