Providing psychological support to pregnant women in childbirth by obstetrician service staff

Abstract

Aims of study. The aim of this study was to investigate the theoretical foundations of psychological support for women in childbirth during midwifery activities.
 Results. An important condition for increasing the efficiency of the treatment process is not only taking into account the patient’s psychological peculiarities, but also providing psychological support to patients during medical care, in particular midwifery activity. Research on different aspects of psychological support is noted in the works of domestic and foreign psychologists who reveal the humanistic ideas of personal development interaction, requiring building a subject-subject relationship in the process of communication. A number of publications are presented in the modern literature concerning the role of psychological support in professional midwifery activities. According to the authors, this area is an important professional responsibility of obstetrician service staff. A special role is played by the psychological support of patients during childbirth. The relationship of the characteristics of the birth process with the emotional state of mothers is noted in modern literature. Psychological support for women in childbirth should be given with the knowledge of the patients’ specific psychological characteristics in this period. The state of consciousness of a woman in childbirth is one of the important psychological factors that require the attention of medical personnel. The altered state of consciousness (ASC) in childbirth, which has an adaptive role, is important for both active labor and reducing pain sensitivity in childbirth. A maladaptive ASC, on the contrary, interferes with the birth process and increase pain sensitivity. Depending on the activity, the psychological component of the generic dominant will manifest itself in an adaptive or maladaptive ASC, with psychological support for women during childbirth contributing to the activation of an adaptive ASC.
 Conclusion. Analysis of the psychological characteristics of women during childbirth showed the importance of considering the state of consciousness of the patient and the activity of the psychological component of the generic dominant when determining the strategy of psychological support.