Women’s Prenatal and Labor Experiences in a Hospital With an Early-Labor Lounge

Abstract

ObjectiveTo evaluate the information that women with low-risk pregnancies received during the prenatal period about latent labor and the early-labor lounge (ELL) and their subsequent use of the ELL. DesignCross-sectional design with survey. Setting/Local ProblemCommunity hospital in the northeastern United States with a low-risk cesarean birth rate of 33%, which exceeds the national target rate of 23.9%. ParticipantsLow-risk, nulliparous, pregnant women with a term singleton vertex fetus at hospital admission (N = 67). Intervention/MeasurementsAn electronic survey was administered before hospital discharge following birth. The survey assessed prenatal education, use of the ELL, admission characteristics, and birth satisfaction. Descriptive analysis was used. ResultsNearly half (43.9%) of the women surveyed used the ELL. ELL users received prenatal care (72.3%), knew signs of active labor (93.1%), and had a cesarean birth rate of 7.1%. Significantly greater proportions of women prenatally cared for by midwives reported knowledge of the signs of early labor (100% vs. 80%; χ2 = 4.4, p = .04) and of the availability of the ELL (18.2% vs. 70.6%; χ2 = 15.2, p < .001). A range of activities were offered in the ELL, and at least 75% of women indicated that all activities were helpful during latent labor. Birth satisfaction scores, measured on a scale of 0 to 40, with 40 indicating greatest satisfaction, ranged from 22 to 35 among ELL participants. ConclusionAn ELL is a care innovation that hospitals can consider for providing support to women with low-risk pregnancies during the latent phase of labor. Women who used the ELL reported feeling that it provided guidance and support. An ELL is a woman-centered option for delayed admission.