Date Approved

2000

Graduate Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Nursing (M.S.N.)

Degree Program

College of Nursing

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in the perceptions of labor and delivery between first-time mothers who took prenatal classes and first-time mothers who did not take prenatal classes. The convenience sample consisted of mostly Caucasian, married, well-educated women with few minor pregnancy complications. Twenty of the subjects were first-time mothers who took at least four prenatal classes. Twenty of the subjects were first-time mothers who took three or fewer classes.

A non-experimental descriptive design was used for this study. One questionnaire, the Childbirth Perception Questionnaire (Beaton & Gupton, 1990), was administered 18 to 24 hours after the women delivered by the researcher or her delegates.

The hypothesis that first-time mothers who took prenatal classes would have a more positive perception of labor and delivery than first-time mothers who did not take prenatal classes was not supported in this study. It was also found that there was no difference in perceptions between groups of ability to cope with pain, support from significant other, support from nurses, and use of technological interventions.

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