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Summary: Observational Cohort Study

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.Summary of Findings The article details the results of an observational cohort study that took place in Italy on women at term pregnancy. The women included in the study were first time mothers with single cephalic fetuses admitted to the University of Padua between January and December of 2013. The purpose of the study was to observe the effects of recumbent birthing position, which is typically practiced in modern hospitals, with alternative positions in terms of type of delivery, labor process, neonatal wellbeing, and intrapartum fetal head rotation (Gizzo, Di Gangi, Noventa, Bacile, Zambon, & Nardelli, 2014). The alternative positions included in the study were either upright, squatting, sitting, or on all fours. The women in the study …show more content…

Group A experienced longer first and second labor stages than Group B as well as higher levels of pain. “Regarding the mode of delivery, 47.8% of Group-A patients delivered by vaginal route, 26.1% required operative vaginal delivery, and 26.1% underwent CS [emergency cesarean section]. Group-B patients delivered in 87.1% by vaginal route, and required operative vaginal delivery in 7.1%, and CS in 5.8%” (Gizzo et al., 2014, pp. 30). There was no difference between the groups in neonatal …show more content…

Those results are not surprising considering that historically recumbent birth has only appeared recently in modern history and is primarily practiced in developed countries. In instances where both mothers and fetuses appear healthy and have not experienced prior complications, the mother should have the right to choose a position that feels most natural to her. Teaira Wilhoite February 9, 2017 Maternal and Child Health- HLSC 3040 Reference Gizzo, S., Di Gangi, S., Noventa, M., Bacile, V., Zambon, A., & Nardelli, G. B. (2014). Women's choice of positions during labour: return to the past or a modern way to give birth? A cohort study in Italy. BioMed Research International. Retrieved from

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