Midwifery
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of birth ball exercise on pain and self-efficacy during childbirth: a randomised controlled trial in Taiwan.
To examine the effectiveness of a birth ball exercise programme during childbirth by measuring childbirth self-efficacy and childbirth pain. In addition, it tested the mediating effects of childbirth self-efficacy on the relationship between the birth ball exercise programme and childbirth pain. ⋯ Clinical implementation of the birth ball exercise programme could be an effective adjunctive tool to improve childbirth self-efficacy and reduce pain among women in labour. On the basis of our mediating model, the results further suggest that confidence is greater after prenatal preparation powerfully related to decreased pain perception and decreased medication/analgesia use during labour.