The Effect Of The Labour Hopscotch On The Birth Process And Satisfaction (Labor Hopscotc)

Effect of the Labour Hopscotch Method on the Labor Process and Maternal Satisfaction: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study is designed to evaluate the effect of the Labor Hopscotch exercise on the birth process and maternal satisfaction. The study will be conducted as a randomized controlled trial at a tertiary-level maternity unit. Eligible pregnant women will be recruited during the active phase of labor and randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group.

Participants in the intervention group will receive the Labor Hopscotch exercise program during labor in addition to standard intrapartum care. The control group will receive standard intrapartum care only. The Labor Hopscotch exercise program consists of structured physical movements adapted to the stages of labor and is implemented under the supervision of trained healthcare professionals.

Data will be collected using standardized data collection forms, obstetric records, and validated measurement tools. Information related to sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric history, labor characteristics, and maternal experiences during labor will be recorded. The study is conducted in accordance with ethical principles and relevant institutional guidelines.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Labor Duration; Labor Bain; and Birth Satisfaction During Physiologic Vaginal Birth
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Labor Hopscotch Exercise Program Group; Other: Standard Intrapartum Care

Detailed Description

This study aims to evaluate the effect of the Labor Hopscotch exercise on the labor process and maternal experience. The study is designed as a randomized controlled trial including eligible pregnant women. Participants will be allocated to an intervention group or a control group, and predefined outcomes will be assessed using standardized procedures.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 110
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Aydin, Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Aydın Kadın ve Çocuk Hastalıkları Hastanesi

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Primiparous pregnant women with cervical dilation between 3cm and 5cm, expected to have a vaginal delivery and admitted to the delivery room,
• Pregnant women aged 18-35,
• Pregnant women with gestational age between 37-42 weeks,
• Able to speak and understand Turkish, and
• At least primary school graduates (as the scales will be completed using the self-report method) will be included.
• Pregnant women without a history of mental or physical health problems,
• Pregnant women without a history of high-risk pregnancy.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Labor Hopscotch Program Group; Participants undergo the Labor Hopscotch Exercise Program during the first stage of labor. This program is a non-pharmacological, behavioral intervention that encourages active movement. The exercises aim to shorten labor duration, reduce pain, and increase birth satisfaction. The program is performed under the supervision of trained healthcare professionals and provides ongoing intrapartum support.	Behavioral: Labor Hopscotch Exercise Program Group; Throughout labor, active positions, movements, breathing exercises, and recordings are utilized, along with the hopscotch steps. Guided by a trained midwife/healthcare professional. Applied throughout the latent and active phases. Purpose: To reduce pain, facilitate labor progression, and minimize interventions.; Other: Standard Intrapartum Care; The institution's routine standard maternity care protocol Nonpharmacological or pharmacological comfort measures per standard care Includes routine clinical practices of healthcare professionals Hopscotch program is not implemented
Other: Standard Intrapartum Care Group → Control; Participants received standard intrapartum care. This intervention included routine birth practices and care procedures. This group, which did not include any special exercises or additional interventions, served as the control group.	Behavioral: Labor Hopscotch Exercise Program Group; Throughout labor, active positions, movements, breathing exercises, and recordings are utilized, along with the hopscotch steps. Guided by a trained midwife/healthcare professional. Applied throughout the latent and active phases. Purpose: To reduce pain, facilitate labor progression, and minimize interventions.; Other: Standard Intrapartum Care; The institution's routine standard maternity care protocol Nonpharmacological or pharmacological comfort measures per standard care Includes routine clinical practices of healthcare professionals Hopscotch program is not implemented

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Maternal Satisfaction Score Measured by a Validated Satisfaction Scale	Maternal satisfaction will be assessed using a validated satisfaction scale. Total scores will be calculated according to the scale guidelines, with higher scores indicating greater maternal satisfaction.	Within 24 hours postpartum

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Aydin Adnan Menderes University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Carroll L, Thompson S, Coughlan B, McCreery T, Murphy A, Doherty J, Sheehy L, Cronin M, Brosnan M, O'Brien D. 'Labour Hopscotch': Women's evaluation of using the steps during labor. Eur J Midwifery. 2022 Sep 9;6:59. doi: 10.18332/ejm/152492. eCollection 2022.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 30, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): November 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 8, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 29, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): January 9, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 9, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 29, 2025
• Last Verified: December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: labor pain; birth satisfaction; Labor hopscotch; physiologic vaginal birth; labor duration,; non-pharmacological intrapartum care
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Labor Pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2023/46 (Other Identifier: Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Health Sciences)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: De-identified individual participant data will be made available to qualified researchers upon reasonable request after publication of the main study results. Data will be shared through a secure data repository, following ethical and privacy regulations.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No