‘Not in labour’: impact of sending women home in the latent phase

Women who were sent home from hospital in the latent phase of labour were asked to keep a diary to reflect on their experiences. Twenty-one women consented to complete the diary but only six returned it. These six women were approached to participate in a one-to-one interview at home to further explore the effects of being discharged home. Five women agreed to be interviewed. Interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed using latent content analysis. Five themes were identified: influence of others, reassurance, coping/pain, sleep deprivation and undervaluing of the latent phase. Women were strongly influenced regarding when to go into hospital by the anxiety of family and partners. Most women sought reassurance but being sent home made them feel unsupported and this may have increased their anxiety. Further research is needed into how best to support women planning a hospital delivery who in the latent phase of labour at home.