A lack of understanding regarding the relationship between comfort education and maternal comfort experienced during labor exists within current literature. This project examined the effects of providing education regarding comfort and comfort options available in the hospital setting on level of maternal comfort during labor. A quasi-experimental pretest/posttest comparison group design was used for this project, in which a convenience sample of 80 participants was randomly assigned into a standard care control group or an educational intervention group. Providing comfort education during admission to the labor and delivery unit did not increase comfort scores or decrease pain scores in the educational intervention group. Providing comfort education did result in change for plans to maintain comfort during labor (p = .000), an increased use of comfort measures during labor (p = .000), and an increased probability of continuation with original plans for pain control during labor. Educating women about available options for maintaining comfort during labor can allow the nurse to provide care that better supports maternal preferences for labor.
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