ADVANTAGES OF POSITIONING DURING LABOR AND THE ROLE OF NURSING IN HUMANIZING CARE: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

This study developed an integrative review of the literature on the role of nursing staff in humanizing childbirth and promoting different positions during labor, analyzing their effects on maternal, perineal, and neonatal outcomes. Thirteen articles published between 2015 and 2025 in Portuguese, Spanish, and English were included, identified in the BVS, SciELO, PubMed databases, and additional repositories. The narrative and thematic analysis, with systematic data extraction, included nursing interventions, types of positions adopted, and maternal-neonatal outcomes. The findings show that upright positions and freedom of movement favor the physiology of childbirth, reduce the duration of the second stage, decrease the need for instrumental procedures, and increase the comfort and satisfaction of pregnant women, although there is heterogeneity in the results regarding perineal integrity, with divergences on lacerations and blood loss. The role of obstetric nursing proved to be decisive, offering welcome, guidance, continuous support, and non-invasive techniques, promoting humanized practices centered on women's autonomy. It is concluded that the incorporation of evidence-based protocols, ongoing training of teams, and standardized recording of outcomes are indispensable measures for consolidating safe, interdisciplinary care that is fully focused on the pregnant woman.