Women's antenatal knowledge and plans regarding intrapartum pain management at the Royal Hospital for Women.

AIMS

To examine women's knowledge and antenatal plans regarding intrapartum pain management options at Royal Hospital for Women (RHW), Sydney, Australia.

METHODS

From October 2002 to January 2003 women aged over 16 who had been in labour were given a questionnaire to complete in the first week post-partum regarding intrapartum pain management. This included questions regarding their antenatal knowledge and predetermined plans.

RESULTS

There were 496 participating women (69% response rate). Antenatal pain management information was accessed by 98% of women. Sources most accessed were antenatal classes (55%), multimedia (53%), and friends/relatives (46%). Sixty percent of women felt 'very well informed' antenatally. Women felt better informed antenatally if married/defacto, university educated, privately insured, or receiving birth centre care. Antenatally, 80% planned to use intrapartum pain management: 'natural' methods were most popular (62% planned to use), and pethidine least (49% planned against). The most common determinant against using medical methods was possible maternal side-effects. Intrapartum, 19% used 'unwanted' pain management, mostly (67%) due to increased labour pain. Increased information access was associated with significantly higher use of both 'natural' methods and epidural analgesia, as well as significantly higher satisfaction scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Almost all women at RHW access information antenatally about intrapartum pain management, often from informal sources. Demographic factors affected type of information accessed and women's plans. Adequate access to information affected use of, and satisfaction with, pain management.