الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Supportive care, and acupressure are measures used during labor process to achieve better outcome, and provide the mother with a sense of confidence and control. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of maternal supportive care and acupressure on labor length and infant’s Apgar score. A quasiexperimental design was adopted in the delivery wards in the Suez Canal University and General hospitals. The study comprised a purposive sample of 126 nulliparous women that divided equally into supportive care, acupressure, and control groups. The tools of data collection were; a structured interviewing questionnaire, partograph, Apgar score record, and visual analogue scale. The results of the present study showed that a significant reduction in the mean length of the 1st stage of labor in study groups compared to control group. The mean of first minute Apgar score was high in study groups compared with the control group. There were a statistically significant differences among the supportive care, acupressure, and control groups in relation to the mean differences of progress of cervical dilatation at 2, 4, 6 hrs (P<0.001). It can be concluded that supportive care and acupressure during labor reduce the length of labor and improve the infant’s Apgar score. The study recommended that providing a support person with a mother during labor to improve the outcome, and training all the maternity staff on supportive care measures and acupressure. Key |