The Effects of Midwife-Led Care on the Perception of Labor Pain, Labor Duration, Labor Comfort, and Respectful Maternity Care: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Continuous care provided by the same midwife throughout the maternity journey may have significant benefits for labor outcomes and women’s childbirth experiences. This single-blind randomized controlled trial, conducted in a public hospital in Türkiye between October 2024 and February 2025, investigated the effects of continuous midwifery care on labor pain, duration, comfort, and the perception of respectful maternity care. A total of 85 women were randomly assigned to either an intervention group ( n = 43), receiving care from the same midwife during the prenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal periods, or a control group ( n = 42), where care was provided by different midwives. Findings revealed that women in the intervention group experienced significantly lower pain during labor, shorter labor durations, and greater comfort. Additionally, their perceptions of respectful maternity care were markedly more positive than those in the control group ( p < .001). These results suggest that continuity of midwifery care enhances both clinical and experiential outcomes for women. Implementing midwife-led continuity of care models in Türkiye could contribute to more personalized, comfortable, and respectful childbirth experiences, ultimately improving maternal satisfaction and well-being.