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Birth plans: A systematic, integrative review into their purpose, process, and impact
Catherine H Bell1, Sally Muggleton1, Deborah L Davis2
1Faculty of Health, University of Canberra.
Midwifery
|May 31, 2022
Summary
Collaboratively developed birth plans enhance communication and decision-making, leading to positive birth outcomes and improved experiences for childbearing women. This systematic review clarifies their impact.
Area of Science:
- Maternal Health
- Obstetrics
- Healthcare Communication
Background:
- Birth plans emerged in the 1980s to improve communication and women's agency during childbirth.
- Current birth plans are diverse, with unclear purpose, process, and impact after 40 years.
- Understanding the role of birth plans in women's experiences and outcomes is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize existing evidence on birth plans.
- To enhance understanding of the purpose, process, and impact of birth plans.
- To evaluate the effect of birth plans on childbearing women's experiences and outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
- Comprehensive literature search across multiple electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, Cochrane Library, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov).
- Appraisal of articles using the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool and a five-step integrative analysis.
Main Results:
- Eleven quantitative articles were included in the review.
- The primary purpose of birth plans is communication, with decision-making as a key element.
- Varied planning processes notwithstanding, having a birth plan correlated with generally positive birth outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Birth plans, despite their heterogeneity, are linked to positive outcomes when co-created with healthcare providers.
- Collaborative birth plan development may improve obstetric results, manage expectations, and increase satisfaction and control.
- The process of creating a birth plan collaboratively is as important as the document itself.
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