Birth environments for women with complex pregnancies: A mixed-methods systematic review

Area of Science:

• Maternal Health
• Healthcare Environments
• Obstetrics

Background:

• Home-like birth environments support active birthing in midwifery settings.
• These supportive environments are often lacking for women with complex pregnancies in obstetric settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of the birth environment on women with complex pregnancies.
• To understand how environmental factors influence the birth experience for this population.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods systematic review was conducted.
• Literature search across Medline, CINAHL, and Embase (2000-2021).
• Included studies from OECD countries focusing on birth environments for women with complex pregnancies.

Main Results:

• 15 articles were included from 30,345 records.
• Studies were from Australia, UK, and USA, involving women and health professionals.
• Key themes included quality of care, supportive spaces for women and midwives, control of space, and design.

Conclusions:

• The birth environment is crucial for positive birth experiences for women and midwives.
• Obstetric environments must balance women's mobility and access to birthing aids with emergency medical access.
• Further research is needed to balance safety and comfort for high-quality care and positive experiences.