Assessment of Women's Satisfaction During Childbirth in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Central India

Introduction The main objective was to evaluate how satisfied women were with the care they received during labor, while the secondary aim focused on pinpointing specific aspects of labor care that required enhancement to create a more positive delivery experience. Methodology This observational research took place in the maternity ward of the Obstetrics and Gynecology department at L.N. Medical College and J.K. Hospital and Research Centre in Bhopal. During a six-month period from August 2024 to January 2025, 250 women participated in the research, which followed the successful completion of a preliminary pilot study involving 25 women (representing 10% of the total sample). The study included all low-risk expectant mothers carrying single babies in cephalic presentation at full term who gave birth either through vaginal delivery or cesarean section (both planned and emergency procedures) after providing proper consent. Women who delivered at home or while traveling to the hospital were not included. Data collection used a pre-designed format with a structured, previously validated questionnaire covering two main areas: demographic information and satisfaction evaluation, which was analyzed using the Likert score. The questionnaire contained 25 items organized into four main sections: health care (seven items); health worker communication (six items); health worker's attitude (five items); and environment (seven items). The statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software version 29. Results The participant characteristics showed mostly younger women (average age 27.04±4.46 years), primarily 169 (67.6%) urban women, with diverse educational levels, with a majority of Hindi-speaking women (242, 96.0%), and 209 (83.6%) pregnancies were planned. In the study, 232 (92.8%) women expressed high satisfaction levels regarding the medical services provided. Although satisfaction remained elevated in the communication category, it demonstrated somewhat lower rates in 211 (84.4%) women when compared to the health care domain. Women showed high satisfaction with the healthcare worker's attitude (223, 89.2%), though how staff interacted with family members or companions and the degree of freedom allowed in the delivery ward received the poorest ratings in this category (220, 88.0%). The facility environment category demonstrated notably lower satisfaction compared to all other areas. Starting breastfeeding at the delivery location received the poorest satisfaction rating, with 138 (55.2%) women showing dissatisfaction. Conclusion Our research revealed that while medical care standards were adequately maintained, and there exists a clear requirement for improving respectful treatment toward both families and women overall. Quality healthcare combines effective medical treatment with proper staff communication, positive attitudes, and adequate institutional support.