Midwifery Postgraduate SeminarMidwifery Postgraduate Seminar

How pregnant women in Hong Kong How pregnant women in Hong Kong Perceive labour painPerceive labour pain

Midwifery Postgraduate SeminarMidwifery Postgraduate Seminar

How pregnant women in Hong Kong How pregnant women in Hong Kong Perceive labour painPerceive labour pain

Irene Lee24 November 2011

Part of PhD studyAim of PhD study to understand how attitudes towards the

embodied experience of labour and childbirth are mediated by external norms and authoritative knowledge.

Title of the study: An interpretive hermeneutic study of the

meaning of labour pain for Hong Kong Chinese women towards the development of an individualized tool for labor pain support

Three phases • Systematic review and meta-

synthesis• Longitudinal qualitative study• Quantitative study

Qualitative study• Explore the meaning of labour pain for HK

Chinese women, and their expectations, views and experiences of pain relief in labour

• Through audio taped and transcribed interviews at 4 different points of time– Third trimester of pregnancy– Postnatal day 3– 6-7 weeks after birth– 10-12 months after delivery

Qualitative study• Phenomenological approach• 10 women will be included• Plan: 5 primigravida, 5 multigravida• Result: 1st interview = 10 + 1 2nd interview = 5 + 5 3rd interview = 5 + 4 4th interview = pendingRange of interview duration : 8’45” to

19’49”

How pregnant women in HK perceive labour pain –

initial findings Findings from 3 primigravida• Different feelings on labour pain• Sex of baby• Carry on the family name• Antenatal talk on pain relief methods • Use of pain relief during labour• Views on husband accompany labour

Sex of baby (1)• Overall no preference on the sex

of baby (2 out of 3)• 001: No specific preference on the

sex of the baby• 002: My husband and I do not

have any preference on having a boy or girl. Actually, I think …already… it is very lucky to have a baby and that if the baby do not have any problem we will be very satisfy.

Sex of baby (2)• 004: It does not matter, boy or girl

is OK.However, when question rephrase:Do you like to have a son or a

daughter?Answer: I like to have a daughter

more than a son.

Sex of baby (3)Possible Implication• In Chinese culture, it is important to have

a son as it carries the family name from • one generation to another.• It is still the condition in Mainland China • Knowing the family / husband’s

preference towards the sex of the baby may add stress to the woman

Sex of baby (4)

Possible implication• The stress can affect the woman’s

feeling of pain during labour.• A surprise to the finding that all of them

do not have any preference towards the sex of the baby

• Even if choose, one of the participant choose a girl which is different from China

• Such situation may be due to one child policy, and the self selected choice.

Carry on the family name (1)

• Overall, all the 3 participants had not think of it.

• 001: I have not thought of it. I have not think of such issue.

• 002: Had not thought about it. No pressure from family.• 004: Do not have such idea.

Carry on the family name (2)

Possible Implication:• In a modernized city, the

traditional Chinese culture changed gradually. Preference a male baby to carry on the family name seems to be absent.

Feelings of labour (1)

Overall feelings: affected by what they heard from friends (2 out of 3)

001: I am a bit nervous because I always hear from others that it is very painful, but I think it is just a process, it should be fine after the painful process

Feelings of labor (2)

• 002: I am scared and worried. I think it is the pain. I heard about it from my friends, they had experience in delivery, they had different views on the feeling of pain. I think I had poor tolerance on pain, yes, worried about the pain.

Use of pain relief (1)• All of them had prepared to face the

labour pain• 001: I have attended all AN talks, so I

already know the pain relief methods (Entonox, pethidine, and epidural)

• 001: …this is our plan, we hope (emphasis) that we do not need to use pain relief methods beyond pethidine.

Use of pain relief (2)

002: I have read many books. I am thinking whether I should use epidural.. But I had heard many negative things, the negative (adverse) effect on epidural

Use of pain relief (3)

• 004: I had attended AN talk before, actually I know there are several pain relief methods. But of course, I prefer to choose method which can release all the pain, but I know it is impossible. I think I will use the methods introduced in the AN talk, e.g. Entonox, pethidine.

Preferred support– Husband accompany labour

(1)

• All the 3 participants indicated that they would like to have their husband accompany labour

Preferred support– Husband accompany labour

(2)

001: • I think if my husband

accompanies me, he can help me and encourage me. I think this is very important.

• I think he should give his wife more encouragement and support.

Preferred support– Husband accompany labour

(3)

002: • At least I think he (my husband) can give

me psychological support… I think this process should go through together, that is not just … one person to strive hard to go through the process.

• Well, he stay with me by my side and cheer me up, I think, he actually cannot help me much towards my physical condition, but, I think well, just psychological comfort.

Preferred support– Husband accompany labour

(4)

004 • Mostly like is my husband.• It is very good that he is there

staying with me by me side.• Actually there is nothing he can

do.

Preferred support– Husband accompany labour

(5)

Possible implication• The women think that the husband

had nothing to do during their labour, however, the physical existence of the husband during labour had already providing psychological support to the women.

Difficulties (1)• Interview skill – need probing technique• The participants do not have much to

say about their feelings. The duration of interview ranges from 8’45” to 19’49”. It is likely a cultural issue.

• Questions may need to be repeated or rephrased again

Difficulties (2)• Since the interviews are conducted in

Cantonese, it need to be translated into English

• The work for the transcribe and translation done by non-professionals

• Need to review the transcribe copies for checking as the meaning may be different from the translated words

Thank you!Thank you!