Do childbirth education classes during pregnancy help?

Participating in childbirth classes may help women have normal vaginal deliveries, according to a study published in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics.

In the retrospective study, 159 women attended childbirth classes and 159 did not. In all cases, deliveries occurred at The Edith Wolfson Medical Center, in Israel.

After controlling for socioeconomic factors and other differences, participating in childbirth classes was associated with a nearly threefold higher likelihood of a successful normal vaginal delivery.

"Adequate preparation for labor and delivery by professional childbirth classes contributes to maternal cooperation with midwives' and obstetricians' instructions. These preparations lead to a lower necessity for interventions and less instrumental deliveries," said lead author Ohad Gluck, MD, of The Edith Wolfson Medical Center. "In my opinion, it is important that healthcare providers improve the availability of childbirth courses and modify them to be suitable for all pregnant women."