Two Teaching Methods to Encourage Pregnant Women for Performing Normal Vaginal Delivery

Introduction: Cesarean section is growing increasingly in Iran. Therefore, it is necessary to find out an appropriate training method for encouraging pregnant women toward performing vaginal delivery. The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of two training methods including educational package plus group discussion, with educational package to encourage pregnant women for performing vaginal delivery. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was carried out on a sample of 100 pregnant women who referred to the obstetricians’ offices in Zahedan in 2011-12. Pregnant women included in study if they were in the third trimester of pregnancy with the intention or decision to elective cesarean section. After performing the pretests, they were voluntarily classified in one of the two educational groups including the educational package plus group discussion(group A), or educational package(group B). After a month of waiting time posttest was conducted. Data was analyzed using independent T, paired T and Chi-Square Tests. Results: The Comparison of mean and standard deviation of knowledge scores between pregnant women in two groups showed no significant difference after training. However there was significant difference between attitude (p<0.05), perceived behavior control (p<0.001), behavioral intention (p<0.05), subjective norm and behavior (p<0.001) of women in two groups after training. Conclusion: Both methods increased knowledge of participants. In comparison group discussion method (group A) has more effectively increased other constructs of the model and significantly improved normal vaginal delivery behavior. This might be due to increased motivation, and decision making ability and skills of women experiencing group discussion