Professor Cindy Fair in the Department of Human Service Studies has had an article published in the International Journal of Childbirth Education with co-author Taylor Morrison '10.
Morrison was a psychology major and an Elon College Fellows who completed the research as part of her Fellows research project. She recently graduated from Johns Hopkins School of Nursing with her BSN and plans to become a midwife.
“‘I felt part of the decision-making process’: A qualitative study on techniques used to enhance maternal control during labor and delivery” examines women’s perceptions of practices employed by women and their providers that facilitated experiences of control during labor and delivery.
More from the abstract:
Thirty 31 primiparae women 26 – 40 weeks pregnant were recruited from a prenatal care clinic in a mid-sized southeastern city in the United States. The current study focuses on interviews conducted six weeks after delivery. Open-ended questions were asked to gain the mothers’ perspectives on experiences of control. Qualitative analyses identified four primary themes: preparation, communication, support from provider, and respect for wishes. Findings suggest women should be encouraged to prepare by gathering information, accessing social support, and directly communicating with providers. Providers should provide information and share the decision making role with laboring women as well as offer reassurance and encouragement.