Tunisian Women's childbirth experience.

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Women's Health
• Perinatal Psychology

Background:

• The international focus on women's health highlights the importance of birth experiences.
• However, research on childbirth experiences in Tunisia remains limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the childbirth experiences of a sample of Tunisian women.
• To identify factors influencing these experiences.

Main Methods:

• A transverse descriptive study was conducted with 170 women during August 2018.
• Data was collected via direct interviews on the first postpartum day using a 55-question questionnaire.
• Multivariate analysis of variance identified variables impacting childbirth experience.

Main Results:

• 74.5% of women reported severe anxiety about delivery, and 48.2% experienced it as traumatic.
• Negative experiences were associated with media/internet information sources (p=0.001) and repeated vaginal examinations (p=0.001).
• Pain (p=0.02), uterine revision (OR=7.04), emergency cesarean section (OR=3.04), and vaginal delivery (OR=2.13) were risk factors for negative experiences.

Conclusions:

• Modifiable factors can be addressed through childbirth preparation programs and improved professional practices.
• Addressing childbirth experiences requires national, cultural, and societal discussion and attention.