Abstract:
The present study was a predictive research aimed at exploring the predictability of age, body mass index, anxiety, nurse's labour support and self-control on duration of labour of women in labour. The study was based on a conceptual framework derived from review of literature, textbooks and medical reference documents concerned with duration of labour. The sample group was composed of laboring women who had normal labour and stayed at the postpartum ward and the private ward for OB-GYN patients at Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok Metropolitan from September 2016 to December 2016. The sample group was selected by purposive sampling which yielded a total of 100 subjects. Data were collected using questionnaires on personal information and birth, anxiety during labour, nurses' labour support behaviors, and self-control during labour. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple regression analysis. According to the findings, only age was able to predict the duration of stage 1 of labour and accounted for 4 percent of variance explained (R2 = .04, F (1, 98) = 3.98, p < .05). The findings of the present study suggest that nurses should assess age factor of women in labour to help plan proper care to reduce duration of labour. Studies of factors influencing duration of labour also yielded supporting and conflicting findings. Therefore, additional studies should be conducted to help women in labour have appropriate duration of labour.