Recent Family News
Fear of childbirth may prolong labor
Every woman prepares for their bundle of joy differently. While some women get ready by purchasing new or used baby gear, furniture and clothing, many also research child birth and make a plan for their delivery.However, a new study has found that women who are fearful of childbirth often prolong their labor.
According to MyHealthNewsDaily.com, researchers in Norway studied more than 2,000 women to explore the relationship between fear and the duration of labor. They found that women who were afraid about having a baby had an average labor time of eight hours, compared to just under six and a half hours for women who weren't anxious about delivering. In total, women who were scared of labor spent 47 more minutes in it.
Researchers said that fear may increase the concentration of hormones called catecholamines, which may weaken the ability of the uterus to contract.
Besides more discomfort, a longer labor may result in more medical intervention, such as the need to have a Caesarean section or the use of forceps, lead author Dr. Samantha Salvesen Adams told MSNBC.

