Outcomes Assessment of Pain Relief Techniques Used in Labour in Order to Increase Painless Normal Delivery Rate

Statistics of world health organization show caesarean section rate has been growing worldwide. According to policy of World Health Organization (W.H.O), the reasonable percentage of caesarean section (C/S) is 10-15% worldwide; however, increased rates of c/s are related to additional caesarean deliveries for 0.8 -3.2 million in low-income countries and for 4.0-6.2 million in middle and high-income countries. C/S rate is above 15% for 50% of countries on the average (1, 2). Although caesarean section must be just performed based on medical indications, elective caesarean rate is rising. Fear of childbirth is one the most important factors causing women especially nulliparous women to be interested in elective C/S. The amount of this fear depends on many factors, e.g. personality, history and experiences. Since this fear is not decreased even after psychological counselling, it is necessary to relieve the pain of normal delivery by offered methods (3). These pain relief techniques classify as pharmacological and non-pharmacological groups; non-pharmacological group includes methods helping women to cope with pain in labour and pharmacological methods are for relieving the labour pain.