Getting the first birth right: A retrospective study of outcomes for low-risk primiparous women receiving standard care versus midwifery model of care in the same tertiary hospital

The reversed Birth Satisfaction Scale: translation, adaptation and validation for a Greek sample

“…Concerning (Q3), 'The delivery-room staff encouraged me to make decisions about how I wanted my birth to progress', providing choice profoundly affects women's experiences of labour and birth 4,25,26 ; which necessitates that maternity-care professionals empower women with knowledge to become constructive decision-makers25 in relation to how they would like their labour to be managed 21,28,29 . Also, in accordance with (Q4), 'I felt anxious during my labour and birth', anxious women have a predisposition towards having negative birth expectations 30 , which renders midwives accountable for instilling confidence through delivering effective preparatory education 31 . Preparation for childbirth palpably influences birth satisfaction 3 , with engagers more confident and able to cope 31,32 .…”

“…Also, in accordance with (Q4), 'I felt anxious during my labour and birth', anxious women have a predisposition towards having negative birth expectations 30 , which renders midwives accountable for instilling confidence through delivering effective preparatory education 31 . Preparation for childbirth palpably influences birth satisfaction 3 , with engagers more confident and able to cope 31,32 . It also enhances selfefficacy 25 , which has been shown to reduce pain experience 24 .…”

“…Continuous support was associated with reduced requests for pain relief. Numbers receiving operative vaginal childbirth and caesarean section were also reduced 31 . In general, women who felt supported viewed their birth experience more favourably (6 trials) 29 .…”

“…Aspects of relationships with staff are important 20 ; quality relationships include being offered information from which to make choices in plain language, and staff being honest and consistent about what is provided 31,33 . Staff also require to be flexible, informal, interested and friendly 31,33 , and at the same time being professional, skilled and knowledgeable 31,33 . In the presence of negative birth perceptions and perceived low-quality relationships with care providers, women's long-term memories of negative experiences can be preserved 31,33,35 .…”

“…Staff also require to be flexible, informal, interested and friendly 31,33 , and at the same time being professional, skilled and knowledgeable 31,33 . In the presence of negative birth perceptions and perceived low-quality relationships with care providers, women's long-term memories of negative experiences can be preserved 31,33,35 . When women feel treated as objects, such disaffirming is significantly correlated with negative birth perceptions 20,31,33 .…”