Improvements of Behavior and Attitude of Pregnant Women Trained by A Maternity-oriented Antenatal Education Program: Assessment of Korean Gentle Birth (KGB)

Objectives: To assess the effects of Korean Gentle Birth (KGB) program introduced from the Leboyer Birth.
Methods: Total 182 over 16 weeks primipara pregnant women subjected; 89 with KGB (case) and 93 with general antenatal care (control). Value of maternity, cognition, attitudes to labor, mother-infant attachment and desirable maternal performance surveyed with questionnaire interview. Using MedCalc (ver 11.5, Mariakerke, Belgium), each categories' responses and the score out of 100 compared and multiple logistic regression (MLR) analysis was done.
Results: The baseline status of age, education, income showed no differences in the two groups. Almost items were significantly higher in case than control group (P<0.05), and improved at post- than pre- assessment (P<0.001). With MLR, the OR (95% CI) of the over five times use of ‘room in one' and the over one year's intention of breast feeding were significantly higher in KGB group compared to control group; 6.6 (2.8~15.5) and 13.9 (5.4~35.5), respectively.
Conclusion: Maternity identification and desirable maternal behaviors apparently improved with KGB. KGB considered that strengthening maternity and the sound culture for pregnancy and birth. When performing antenatal care, introduction and application of the KGB is highly recommended.