Evaluation of the effect of Birth Preparation Program on birth satisfaction with "Salmon's Item List" scale

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of a birth preparation program on birth satisfaction. Material and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with patients who applied to our hospital between January 2018 and January 2019. A total of 164 pregnant women (Study Group) who applied for the birth preparation program and completed all training in our hospital and 152 pregnant women who did not apply for the birth preparation program and who did not know about such training (Control Group) were included in the study. Demographical data and obstetric parameters of the groups were recorded. All patients were evaluated with the Visual Analog Scale and Salmon's Item List scale 48 hours after the delivery. The scores of both groups were compared. Results: There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of age, gravida, parity, gestational week of birth, the birth weight of infants, and 5th-minute APGAR scores. It was found that the Visual Analog Scale scores of the Control Group were significantly higher than in the Study Group. The Salmon's Item List scores of the Study Group were significantly higher than those of the patients in the Control Group (< 0.01). Conclusions: The birth preparation program increases satisfaction during labor and decreases the traumas that may occur in the following births and increase comfort in the postpartum period. For this reason, such programs must be applied commonly to ensure that women can face both the birth and postpartum processes comfortably.