Association of Delivery Outcomes With the Number of Childbirth Education Sessions

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-14-2021

Publication Title

The Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing

Volume

35

Issue

3

First page number:

228

Last page number:

236

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine whether childbirth education conducted over 3 or more sessions is more effective than courses conducted over 1 or 2 sessions. This was a secondary analysis of 2853 participants in a longitudinal study of women recruited during their first pregnancy. Data on childbirth education attendance were collected during the 1-month postpartum interview. The Kruskal–Wallis test for ranks was used for univariate analysis by the number of class sessions, and logistic regression was used to compare no education with any childbirth education, single-session, 2-session, and 3-or-more-session courses. Primary outcomes included induction of labor, cesarean delivery, use of pain medication, and shared decision-making. Attending 3 or more education sessions was associated with a decreased risk of planned cesarean delivery and increased shared decision-making. Attending any childbirth education was associated with lower odds of using pain medication in labor, reduced odds of planned cesarean delivery, and increased shared decision-making. Childbirth education was not associated with induction of labor. Childbirth education can be provided over 3 or more sessions. This finding can be used to develop evidence-based childbirth education programs.

Keywords

Cesarean delivery; Childbirth education; Shared decision-making

Disciplines

Maternal, Child Health and Neonatal Nursing

Language

English

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