Pregnant Women's Care Needs During Early Labor-A Scoping Review

Introduction: Pregnant women face the challenge of managing early labor on their own until they feel the need to seek professional support. However, professional support during such a vulnerable stage of labor may sometimes be insufficient. This study aims to understand pregnant women's care needs during early labor in order to improve the quality of care provided at the onset of labor. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following a systematic search strategy in May 2021 and in August 2022 concentrating on pregnant women in early labor with spontaneous onset of labor. A sensitive search strategy was used with five different databases. The articles were screened by two independent researchers. Data were extracted and mapped to answer the research question. Results: 52 articles were included. Major reasons for seeking professional help are to receive reassurance and get advice and information on how to cope with early labor. Furthermore, many women express the need for professional guidance. Several articles demonstrated women's preferences for hospital admission or a continuous care model. While some women want empowerment and empathy from a midwife, others require clear instructions on helpful measures or even clinical interventions within the process. Conclusions: Managing early labor without professional support creates a major challenge for pregnant women and nurtures insecurities and anxiety. Protecting women from unnecessary interventions is a well-intentioned plan, yet a lack of support in early labor may sometimes jeopardize a positive birth experience. New ways need to be elaborated to support women-centred and individualized approaches to providing early labor care.