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Review
. 2023 Apr 21;15(4):e37943.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.37943. eCollection 2023 Apr.

Alternative Birthing Positions Compared to the Conventional Position in the Second Stage of Labor: A Review

Prasiddhi D Satone  1 , Surekha A Tayade  1
Affiliations
Review

Alternative Birthing Positions Compared to the Conventional Position in the Second Stage of Labor: A Review

Prasiddhi D Satone et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

The position in which the woman delivers has a lot of impact on the ease of delivery. Women's satisfaction with their birthing experience and the care they receive is significantly impacted by the fact that giving birth is frequently a challenging experience. Birthing positions refer to various postures which can be assumed at the time of delivery by a pregnant woman. Currently, the majority of women give birth either while lying flat on their backs or in a semi-sitting position. Upright positions, which include standing, sitting, or squatting along with side-lying and hands-and-knees, are less common birth positions. Doctors, nurses, and midwives are among the most important healthcare professionals, having a significant influence in deciding which position the woman will give birth in and on the physiological and psychological effects of the experience of a woman in labor. There isn't much research to back up the best position for mothers during the second stage of labor. This review article aims to review and compare the advantages and risks of common birthing positions and know about the knowledge of alternative birthing positions among pregnant women.

Keywords: alternative birthing positions; lithotomy; maternal birth experience; supine position; the second stage.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Identification of search strategies for qualitative review synthesis databases and registers on alternative birthing positions in the second stage of labor
Figure 2
Figure 2. Supine position
Author's own creation.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Lithotomy position
Author's own creation.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Squatting position
Author's own creation.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Birthing stool
Author's own creation
Figure 6
Figure 6. Birthing bar position
Author's own creation.
Figure 7
Figure 7. Kneeling position
Author's own creation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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