Pain Experience and Coping Strategies Employed by Women in Labor in a Secondary Health Facility in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
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Date
2022-03-22
Journal Title
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Volume Title
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Texila International Journal of Public Health *. .,
Abstract
Labour pain experience is distinctive and complex, and women use various coping strategies to
cope with it. Hence, this study attempted to explore pain experience and coping strategies employed
by women in labor in a secondary health facility in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. A qualitative
exploratory research design was used, and a purposive sampling technique was used to select a total
of ten (10) mothers who delivered within 48hours in the healthcare facility. A total of three FGD
sessions were conducted, each had between 3 and 4 participants. The semi-structured interview guide
was used for data collection, and the data were analyzed using content analysis. The women who
participated in this study were between 20 and 42years of age, and they perceived labour pain
differently. Some of the women described labour pain as very painful; others said the pain is normal,
while some said the pain cannot be compared with anything. The study revealed that younger women
who are primiparous perceived labor pain as more severe than the multiparous women. All the
participants said that birth information and instructions received from the midwives, as well as the
presence of caring midwives, help to relieve labour pains and consequently influence their pain
experience(s) positively. The coping strategies used varied among participants, and deep breathing
techniques, relaxation, and vertical positions were the major coping strategies used. Therefore, the
provision of adequate labour information on coping strategies and the presence of caring midwives
influenced the labour experience(s) positively.
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Coping strategies, Experience, Labor pain, Women