Final answer:
Poorly relieved pain during labor can lead to increased fear and anxiety, resulting in slower labor progress, due to disruptions in the hormonal feedback system involving oxytocin that regulates contractions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Poorly relieved pain during labor can lead to an increase in fear and anxiety, which negatively affects the labor process. Specifically, it causes c) Slower labor progress. The pain associated with labor contractions is part of a complex hormonal feedback system involving the release of oxytocin. Oxytocin is critical to the progress of labor as it stimulates uterine contractions, pushing the baby towards the cervix, and setting off the release of more oxytocin in a positive feedback loop which intensifies contractions.
However, high levels of stress and anxiety due to poorly managed pain can disrupt this process, possibly leading to slower progress of labor. Anxiety can reduce the effectiveness of oxytocin-induced contractions and potentially increase the need for medical interventions such as Caesarian section if there is any indication of fetal distress