Traumatic childbirth experiences: practice-based implications for maternity care professionals from the woman's...

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Maternal Health
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Traumatic childbirth experiences can negatively impact maternal mental health.
• Understanding women's perspectives is crucial for improving intrapartum care.
• Current maternity care may not consistently meet women's needs for information and involvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore women's experiences of traumatic childbirth.
• To increase maternity care professionals' awareness of women's intrapartum care needs.
• To identify factors contributing to traumatic birth experiences.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative exploratory study.
• Grounded theory and constant comparison design.
• Thirty-six in-depth interviews with women post-childbirth in the Netherlands.

Main Results:

• Lack of information and informed consent during intrapartum care.
• Women feeling excluded due to unilateral decision-making by healthcare professionals.
• Discrepancies between women's expectations and the reality of labor and birth.

Conclusions:

• Woman-centered care, including personalized and humanizing values, is essential.
• Informed consent and shared decision-making must be prioritized.
• Maternity care professionals should maintain ongoing dialogue and ensure women remain integral to their childbirth process.