Ambiance as a Key for a Better Birth Experience.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Psychology
• Maternal Health
• Human-Centered Design

Background:

• Childbirth is a sensitive experience influenced by the woman in labor, the event itself, and the birth environment.
• Understanding the spatial and environmental configurations of birth spaces is crucial for maternal well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a spatial and environmental characterization of childbirth contexts in Tunis and Grenoble.
• To analyze the emotional states of women in labor through physiological measures and qualitative data.
• To identify key environmental situations influencing the childbirth experience.

Main Methods:

• In-situ ethnographic observation and semi-structured interviews with mothers and midwives.
• Analysis of electrodermal activity variations to capture emotional states during labor.
• Spatial and environmental characterization of birth spaces in Tunis and Grenoble.

Main Results:

• Electrodermal activity analysis correlated with observations and interviews to reveal maternal emotional states.
• Identification of six types of environmental situations across luminous and kinesthetic dimensions during labor.
• Synthesis of significant environmental situations encountered in birth spaces.

Conclusions:

• The research provides valuable insights for designing birth spaces that prioritize the well-being of women in labor.
• Proposed interventions focus on enhancing spatial quality by integrating an environmental dimension into birth space design.
• Findings support a human-centered approach to birth environment planning.