Spirituality and Childbirth

Evaluation of Midwives’ Perceptions of Spirituality and Spiritual Care in Aydın, Turkey

“…According to the literature, an individual's spirituality is influenced by the beliefs and culture of the society in which they reside (OBoyle & Brady, 2019). It was found in our study that midwives' perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care were affected by whether or not they were a parent and the type of family they lived in.…”

“…Spiritual care encompasses being sensitive to an individual's physical, emotional and spiritual needs, listening to and communicating with the client, empathizing without judging, promoting a positive perspective to help the client find meaning and purpose in their lives, and referring individuals to other professionals when needed, including religious clerics (Koenig, 2005;McClung et al, 2006;McSherry & Ross, 2002;Saffari et al, 2013). For these reasons, the spirituality is becoming increasingly recognized as an important part of healthcare (Cockell & McSherry, 2012;OBoyle & Brady, 2019). International professional midwifery standards have referred to the provision of spiritual care (The International Confederation of Midwives [ICM], 2014).…”

“…The existential experiences of women are so personal that the meaning given to these experiences is often described as deeply spiritual. Spirituality must be integrated into midwifery because it is central to women's and midwives' experiences (Crowther & Hall, 2015;OBoyle & Brady, 2019). Person-centered or more usually womancentered care is embedded in the midwifery philosophy (Hall, 2016;Puente et al, 2015).…”

Spirituality in Pregnancy

“…2,3 The experience is meaningful for all involved including partners and birth attendants. 3,4,8 Childbirth is a time of spiritual intensification which can lead to increased peace, but also an awareness of change, loss and uncertainty. 2,5 Spirituality provides guidance, support, confidence and impacts decision making during pregnancy.…”

“…Spirituality allows people to make sense of the experiences that are occurring. Spirituality is intensely personal and individual and is implicit to humanity 4,5. Spirituality can improve physical and psychological health and overall well-being by decreasing anxiety, depression, and stress, including pregnancy specific stress 5–7…”