Are C-Sections Stigmatized While Idealizing Vaginal Birth?: Women's Experiences

To explore how the idealization of vaginal birth influences the social perceptions, emotional experiences, and maternal identity of women who have given birth by cesarean section.

This is a qualitative descriptive design study conducted between July 2025 and April 2026 with 23 women from across Turkey who gave birth within the last 6 months, using a purposive and snowball sampling method. Data were collected through an anonymous online qualitative questionnaire and subjected to inductive thematic analysis using MAXQDA software. The study strictly adhered to COREQ principles and ethics standards.

Four primary themes were identified. Under "Social Perceptions of Birth", the dominant "normal birth" discourse marginalized cesarean sections as "abnormal", fostering feelings of "maternal failure" and widespread societal pressure. Within "Emotional Reflections", despite profound feelings of inadequacy, the conscious acceptance of medical reality provided a vital emotional defense mechanism. The theme "Social Environment and Support Mechanisms" highlighted the protective role of positive support against trauma induced by unfiltered social criticism. Finally, in "Reconstruction of Motherhood and Womanhood Identity", women redefined motherhood independently of delivery methods, transforming the process into a profound experience of personal empowerment.

The findings suggest that the social idealization of vaginal birth extends beyond clinical recommendations and becomes a powerful cultural discourse that shapes maternal identity and emotional well-being. To safeguard maternal psychosocial welfare, clinical discourse should replace "normal birth" with inclusive terms like "spontaneous vaginal birth," ensuring future maternity care practices utilize empowering healthcare approaches. These findings should be interpreted within the Turkish cultural and maternity care context, where childbirth practices, social perceptions, and attitudes toward cesarean section may differ across countries. This study demonstrates that the idealization of vaginal birth not only shapes social attitudes but also influences women's maternal identity through internalized feelings of competence and self-esteem, expanding the existing literature on stigma.