Coaching Women During Childbirth Has Little Impact

Coaching Women During Childbirth Has Little Impact
Friday, December 30, 2005

Last Updated: 2005-12-30 10:07:19 -0400 (Reuters Health) By Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pregnant women coached through their first delivery do not fare much better than those who just do what feels natural, according to a study released on Friday.

Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern found that women who were told to push 10 minutes for every contraction gave birth 13 minutes faster than those who were not given specific instructions.

But they said the difference has little impact on the overall birth, which experts say can take up to 14 hours on average.

"There were no other findings to show that coaching or not coaching was advantageous or harmful," said lead author Dr. Steven Bloom, the interim head of obstetrics and gynecology at the Dallas-based university.

"Oftentimes, it's best for the patient to do what's more comfortable for her," he added.