Recognizing Emotional Dystocia in Prolonged Labor

There are so many complications in pregnancy and labor that a birthing partner can have a hard time getting them all through his or her head. No matter how much the expecting mother knows, she will be in no condition during labor to provide instruction or monitor herself. Among those conditions that must be watched for is what is known as emotional dystocia.

Dystocia is defined as labor that does not progress and is sometimes referred to as dysfunctional labor. During normal labor there is a continued dilation of the cervix and slow descent of the baby. Dystocia can be caused by many factors such as breech birth, small pelvis, or large baby, but also there is another factor that can cause the abnormal delivery-stress. A stressful emotional state has been known in the medical world to cause dystocia for over 40 years and can lead to the extreme measure of having to perform an emergency Caesarean.

There are ways to identify the onset of emotional dystocia and they should be watched for throughout the labor-in the beginning to prevent the occurrence and later to ensure a smooth delivery.

Some of the clinical signs that may be indicative of emotional dystocia are fatigue, the mother reporting the fatigue, lack of energy, and lethargy. The blood pressure may be higher than normal or experience sudden rises. Bowel and/or bladder distension may be present. Many of these are signs that the doctor, nurse, or midwife should recognize.

Other signs are outward appearances of fear and anxiousness. These expressions may be normal during contractions, but if they persist in the lulls, then there may be problem. During these high stress periods of panic, the mother may speak what she is feeling. Listen to her.

Talk with the mother during the labor. Ask questions and determine if the response is appropriate and indicative of a state of awareness. Be calm and reassure her. Ask again how she is feeling. Make sure she knows that everything is ok.

Besides outward appearances of fear and anxiousness, there may also be periods of overreaction. Blood-curdling screams contributed to mild contractions are an indication that the mother is experiencing fear and stress. Give her suggestions for comfort you may have learned in preparation for this event. Listen to the doctor's and nurse's suggestions and make sure she is following them. Repeat them for the medical professionals, if necessary. She may respond better to someone she knows more intimately.

The last thing you can do to find if there are any overly stressful thoughts or perceived experiences in the mother is simply to ask her. Ask her what's wrong. Ask why she is so concerned. Ask if she understands what is going on. Provide assuring responses to every answer.

Only after recognizing the emotional turmoil and actual stress that the mother is experiencing, can something be done to halt it and get the labor back on track. The goal is to prevent surgery and any harm to both baby and mother. For this, the mother must try to remain calm and relaxed for normal labor patterns to progress.