Research into Pain Perception and Reduction, and the Use of Hypnosis in Labour
The report below shows how the mind influences outcome in labour; that expectation can change perception of physical sensations (ie what you expect is what you tend to get).
Mind Over Matter? How Expectation Affects Outcome A 2002 Taiwan study investigating the association between demographic-obstetric factors and perceived labour pain in 90 primiparas (first birth) having normal births found that their perceived level of pain was related to their expected level of pain. The researchers found no significant association between the pain and newborn birth weight, maternal age, body mass index, confidence in labour or duration of labour. They concluded that the "findings suggest that primiparas' perceived labour pain is correlated with psychogenic (mind) rather than physical factors." — Kaohsiung J Med Sci, 18(12):604–09, 2002
Reprinted from Midwifery Today E-News (Vol 10 Issue 25, Dec 2, 2008)
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Copyright Alison Bird Clinical Hypnotherapy Colchester Essex 2008. Alison Bird Clinical Hypnotherapy Colchester, Suite 30 The Colchester Business Centre, 1 George Williams Way, Colchester, Essex, CO1 2JS. Tel: 01206 560833 / 07947 817464. Email: abird073@aol.com
Alison Bird DHP MAPHP(Reg) HBCE is a member of the Association for Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy, and affiliated to the National Centre for Eating Disorders and the HypnoBirthing Institute.