Abstract
This study examines the work postures and psychological burden of frontal birth assistance techniques in student and experienced midwives. The results showed that for both student and experienced midwives, birth assistance techniques most commonly involve the standing posture. In both cases the delivery table was at breast height and the work area was adequate, but there were many complaints of fatigue relating to tiredness and pain in the left knee and lower thigh, hand and wrist. Both showed high levels of cortisol in the saliva after birth assistance. Also, the fact that the level remained high for student midwives even an hour after birth assistance implies that they were exposed to excessive stress. Further, the student midwives exhibited strong feelings of stress and lower alertness both before and after birth assistance. This suggests difficulties in maintaining concentration and sense of judgment due to tension before starting work and the high mental workload during work.
