1. The intrapartum period extends from the beginning of contractions that cause cervical dilation to the first 1 to 4 hours after delivery of the newborn and placenta.
2. Intrapartum care refers to the medical and nursing care given to a pregnant woman and her family during labor and delivery.
GOALS OF INTRAPARTUM CARE
1. To promote physical and emotional well-being in the mother and fetus.
2. To incorporate family-centered care concepts into the labor and delivery experience.
NATIONAL HEALTH GOALS
Labor and birth are both high-risk periods for mother and the fetus. Several national health goals speak to this risk. They are:
1. To reduce the number of fatal deaths to 3.3 / 100,000 live births from a baseline of 7.1/100,000.
2. To reduce number of fatal deaths at 20 or more weeks gestation to 4.1 / 1,000 live births from a base line of 6.8 / 1,000.
3. To reduce fatal and infant deaths during the prenatal period (28 weeks gestation to 7 days after birth) to 4.5 / 1,000 live births from a baseline of 7.5 / 1,000 live births (Department of Health and Human Services, 2000)
FACTORS AFFECTING THE INTRAPARTUM EXPERIENCE
1. Previous experience with pregnancy
2. Cultural and personal expectations
3. Pre-pregnant health and biophysical preparedness for childbearing
4. Motivation for childbearing
5. Socioeconomic readiness
6. Age of mother
7. Partnered versus unpartnered status
8. Extend of parental care
9. Extend of childbirth education