Consideration of Environment at the Site of Delivery

Sounds and Responses of the Pregnant Women

Abstract

Recently the amenity has become the issue in the delivery. A study was made of the sounds heard at the site of the delivery and the pregnant women's responses to them to exercise the environment of the delivery with special reference to sounds.
The subjects are five pregnant women in the hospital and five in the maternityhome. The measurement of the sounds, the observation of the pregnant women's responses (the kind of sounds heard by them, their state anxiety, etc.), and the investigation of the characteristics of the pregnant women (their anxiety during the period of pregnancy and on admission, the degree of stress in their living (sound) environment, etc.) were carried out. Comparisons were made of the results among the stages of labor and between the types of the institution.
The sounds heard by the pregnant women at each site of delivery showed characteristic features. The responces to the voice of the medical staff and the sounds due to manipulating apparatus, and the change of state anxiety differed according to the type of the institution.
The incidence and the intensity of sounds, and the degree of the pregnant women's responses and the change of their anxiety indicate that the maternityhomes produce more relaxing conditions concerning the sound environment.