P197. Attendance to antenatal classes reduces perinatal pain and fear in primiparous women.

Paweł Bartnik (PL), Joanna Kacperczyk-Bartnik (PL), Aleksandra Symonides (PL), Agnieszka Dobrowolska-Redo (PL), Ewa Romejko-Wolniewicz (PL)

[Bartnik] 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, [Kacperczyk-Bartnik] 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, [Symonides] Student Scientific Gorup affiliated to 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, [Dobrowolska-Redo] 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, [Romejko-Wolniewicz] 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw

Context: Antenatal classes (AC) aim to prepare future mothers for the upcoming labour and early stages of parenthood. Objective: The aim of the study was to analyse the influence of attending antenatal classes on estimated perinatal anxiety, pain and frequency of analgetics use in postpartum women. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study. Results of Delivery Fear Scale (DFS), Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and data from medical records (obstetric history, course of the pregnancy and course of labour) were analysed and compared between women attending and not attending AC. The excluding criteria were major complications during pregnancy or delivery. Patients: Consecutive 296 patients giving birth in a tertiary referral hospital were included in the study. 169 (55.4%) were primiparous, while 127 (44.6%) were multiparous. Interventions: Data was collected from medical records and questionnaires handed to patients 24-72 hours after delivery. Main Outcome Measure: Fear level among primiparous patients who did not attend AC, estimated using the DFS, was significantly higher than in the group of primiparous patients who attended AC (p=0.007). Results: Primiparous patients who attended AC were also calmer during labour and felt more capable of bearing the pain. The estimated feeling of helplessness was lower in this group. The mean intensification of pain in the group of primiparous women who attended AC was 6.19, while in the group who did not attend it was higher – 7.54. Among women who gave vaginal birth 71% of those who attended AC asked for epidural analgesia, with 57% among the group who did not attend AC. Conclusions: Attending antenatal classes might be very helpful for primiparous women for it significantly lowers pain and fear levels in this group of patients.