Introduction: Touch plays an important role in midwifery and childbirth is an important
experience in a woman’s life. Touch is often used in childbirth, as the midwife can help
women alleviate pain and encourage relaxation with the use of psychologically and
physiologically supportive touch. She can also monitor the progress of childbirth with a
diagnostic touch. Vaginal examinations are most commonly used by obstetricians and
midwives to assess the progress of labour. Purpose: The purpose of this diploma thesis is to
present the importance of touch in midwifery, with the help of existing literature. We focused
on the importance of touch during childbirth and identified the challenges of women facing
vaginal examinations. We tried to find out if health professionals followed the principles of
diagnostic touch and informed consent. Methods: In this diploma thesis we used a
descriptive method to review the professional and scientific literature on the importance of
touch during childbirth. The literature was accessed through the international databases
PubMed, Cochrane Libary, Medline, Science Direct and through the digital library of the
University of Ljubljana DiKUL. Eight articles were included in the analysis. Results:
Healthcare workers can cause discomfort, additional pain and negatively mark the birth
experience by recklessly touching the intimate areas. Many women experience painful and
uncomfortable vaginal examinations. They want the obstetrician and midwives to treat them
with dignity and respect. They expect that the healthcare professionals, who perform vaginal
examinations, give the necessary information, explanation and establish supportive
communication. Women also expect a feedback after the examination is completed.
Discussion and conclusion: During childbirth women need a midwife's compassion
especially in the management of pain caused by vaginal examinations. With respectful
support during childbirth, women will be able to develop a good relationship with the
midwife, which will allow for a discussion of childbirth expectations and care.
|
