The Development and Validation of An Activity Monitoring System for Use in Measurement of Posture of Childbearing Women During First Stage of Labor

Martin, Caroline J. Hollins; Granat, Malcolm H.; Hollins Martin, Caroline J; Kenney, Laurence; Pratt, Thomas; Granat, Malcolm H

Abstract

Introduction
There is limited understanding of the type and extent of maternal postures that midwives should encourage or support during labor. The aims of this study were to identify a set of postures and movements commonly seen during labor, to develop an activity monitoring system for use during labor, and to validate this system design.

Methods
Volunteer student midwives simulated maternal activity during labor in a laboratory setting. Participants (N = 15) wore monitors adhered to the left thigh and left shank, and adopted 13 common postures of laboring women for 3 minutes each. Simulated activities were recorded using a video camera. Postures and movements were coded from the video, and statistical analysis conducted of agreement between coded video data and outputs of the activity monitoring system.

Results
Excellent agreement between the 2 raters of the video recordings was found (Cohen's κ = 0.95). Both sensitivity and specificity of the activity monitoring system were greater than 80% for standing, lying, kneeling, and sitting (legs dangling).

Discussion
This validated system can be used to measure elected activity of laboring women and report on effects of postures on length of first stage, pain experience, birth satisfaction, and neonatal condition. This validated maternal posture-monitoring system is available as a reference—and for use by researchers who wish to develop research in this area.

Citation

Martin, C. J. H., Granat, M. H., Hollins Martin, C. J., Kenney, L., Pratt, T., & Granat, M. H. (2015). The Development and Validation of An Activity Monitoring System for Use in Measurement of Posture of Childbearing Women During First Stage of Labor. Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health, 60(2), 182-186. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.12230

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 20, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Jan 20, 2015
• Publication Date: 2015-03
• Deposit Date: Jan 26, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 26, 2015
• Print ISSN: 1526-9523
• Electronic ISSN: 1542-2011
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 60
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 182-186
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.12230
• Keywords: Obstetrics and Gynaecology; Maternity and Midwifery
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/7514
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.12230