Pain in Childbearing and Its Control

Part 1 Pain as pathology - general background: theory; history: attitudes to, interpretation of; cultural aspects; psychosocial and emotional aspects; physical pain and psychological/emotional pain; depression; researching and measuring pain; legislation and rules relating to pain control and midwifes role. Part 2 Scientific background: anatomy and physiological processes; pain pathways; pain and bodily responses; blocking the physiological processes. Part 3 Pregnancy: disorders - heartburn, cramp, haemorrhoids, Braxton-Hicks contractions, backache, carpal tunnel syndrome; serious problems of pregnancy - miscarriage, placental abruption, fulminating pre-eclampsia; serious problems associated with pregnancy - urinary tract infection, deep vein thrombosis - pulmonary embolism, appendicitis - other abdominal pain, sickle-cell disease; incidental (non-childbearing) pain - cancer pain. Part 3 Labour: physiology and origins of labour pain; pain in uncomplicated labour; pain in complicated labour - OP labour, rupture of the uterus; methods of pain control - pharmacological and non-pharmacological. Part 4 Postnatal: after pains; perineal pain; haemorrhoids; dyspareunia; DVT; breast/nipple pain; post-epidural pain; post-operative/post CS pain; pain control in the puerperium. Part 5 Foetal/neonatal pain: ultrasound; neonatal interventions; pain and the environment of the neonatal unit. Part 6 Conclusion: the significance of pain.