Maternal satisfaction and birth experiences after elective induction vs. spontaneous onset in late-term pregnancy: a...

Earlier studies highlight that a positive birth experience enhances both short-term recovery and long-term maternal well-being. However, the factors influencing this experience are complex and not yet fully understood. We aimed to investigate the influence of labour commencement method on late-term pregnant women's satisfaction with care and the birth experience, and to determine whether women's perception of their birth experience changes over time.

In this register-based retrospective cohort study, we included pregnant women in late term (≥ 41 + 0 to < 42 + 0) who gave birth in Sweden during 2020-2021. Eligible women were classified into two groups: spontaneous onset of labour (SOL) and induced onset of labour (IOL). Women's satisfaction with care at birth and the childbirth experience at 8 weeks and 1 year postpartum were measured with a visual analogue scale, where 0 indicates "very unsatisfied" and 10 "very satisfied".

Satisfaction with care at the time of discharge from the hospital was significantly different between the IOL and SOL groups, with mean scores of 6.53 ± 3.34 and 6.97 ± 3.34, respectively (P = 0.007). Furthermore, the IOL group reported a less positive birth experience at 8 weeks (7.15 ± 2.37 and 7.74 ± 2.17, respectively, P = 0.004) and 1 year postpartum (6.87 ± 2.40 and 7.53 ± 2.15, respectively, P = 0.002) compared to the SOL group. Both groups experienced a decline in birth experience positivity from 8 weeks to 1 year postpartum (P < 0.001 in both groups). Common factors influencing satisfaction with care and birth experience included parity, heavy bleeding during labour, and the mode of delivery.

Satisfaction with care during labour and women's childbirth experiences differed between the SOL and IOL groups, indicating a relationship between labour commencement method and satisfaction scores. Women in the SOL group were more satisfied with care at birth and reported a more positive birth experience at both 8 weeks and 1 year postpartum compared to the IOL group. Over time, women's childbirth experience scores in both groups may change, becoming less positive 1 year after birth compared to 8 weeks postpartum.

Retrospectively registered.