Factors affecting birth satisfaction of women in Turkey: A cross-sectional study

Whether the method of birth affects the factors that contribute to the birth satisfaction of women is controversial. But, the importance of positive birth experience perception in perinatal care is increasing. This study aimed to examine women's birth satisfaction and the affecting factors in a university hospital.

This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 404 women in the gynecology and obstetrics clinic of a university hospital between January and April 2017. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form and the Scale for Measuring Maternal Satisfaction in Birth. Two versions of the scale were used for women who had cesarean birth and who had vaginal birth. The data were analyzed using the Independent Groups t-test, ANOVA, and the Bonferroni test which was performed to determine the group causing a difference.

There was no overall statistical difference between normal birth and cesarean birth groups in terms of total satisfaction level (p>0.05). The level of satisfaction from the healthcare team and respect for privacy was higher in women who had normal birth whereas the level of satisfaction from comforting and hospital room was higher in those who had cesarean birth. The findings of this study demonstrated that the factors affecting birth satisfaction were the desire for pregnancy, induction application, planned birth method, and type of anesthesia.

Determining the parameters that affect the birth satisfaction of women is of great importance in terms of increasing the quality of maternal care. Health professionals should raise awareness about the effects of normal and cesarean delivery practices and decisions regarding pregnancy request and delivery type on birth satisfaction.