Mitsuyo Taniguchi

Miyazaki University
japan

Abstract Title: Comparison of Moroccan Midwifery Students' Care Behaviors Toward Labor Pain Relief Care Before and After Education Program

Biography:

Mitsuyo Taniguchi earned her PhD in Nursing from Kyoto Tachibana University and is a Lecturer in Midwifery and Maternal Nursing at the University of Miyazaki, Japan. Her research focuses on maternal and child health in remote and island regions, breastfeeding support for women living with HTLV-1, and pain relief techniques during labor. As a member of the Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) medical team, she has participated in disaster response activities. She enjoys traveling, exploring diverse cultures, savoring local cuisines, and connecting with people worldwide.

Research Interest:

Background: It is important for childbirth to be a positive experience for women (WHO, 2018). Labor pain is intense, yet it is also a product of physiological endocrine mechanisms. Women can work with labor pain, and midwives are key supporters in this process. In Morocco, pain relief care during labor is not included in midwives' basic education. Midwifery educators from Japan and Morocco collaborated to develop an educational model.

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the educational effects by comparing changes in midwifery students’ care practices before and after preclinical education on labor pain relief care.

Methods: Three sessions of lectures and exercises on the mechanisms of labor pain and pain relief methods were conducted from February 2022 to December 2023. A labor pain management scale (40 items, 5-point Likert scale, α = 0.941) developed based on previous studies was used to collect online responses before the lectures and after the practical training. The study was conducted with the approval of the Ethics Review Committee of Hyogo Medical University.

Results: A total of 38 students who responded before and after the education were analyzed. Significant differences were found in 9 items. They communicated with women, worked together with them to find appropriate methods, and increased the frequency of providing care such as hot compresses, acupressure, and massage to relieve labor pain. Scale items related to "identifying and evaluating appropriate relief methods considering the woman’s preferences" and "providing care to reduce pain” showed particularly significant increases after the education.

Discussion: The results suggest that labor pain relief care education may enhance learning outcomes within the context of woman-centered care in care practices among midwifery students.