Why do women request caesarean section in a normal, healthy first pregnancy?

Fenwick, J; Staff, L; Gamble, J; Creedy, DK; Bayes, S

Why do women request caesarean section in a normal, healthy first pregnancy?

Fenwick, J Staff, L Gamble, J Creedy, DK Bayes, S

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Midwifery, 2010, 26 (4), pp. 394 - 400
Issue Date:: 2010-08

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Fenwick, J	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Staff, L	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Gamble, J	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Creedy, DK	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Bayes, S	en_US
dc.date.available	2008-10-26	en_US
dc.date.issued	2010-08	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Midwifery, 2010, 26 (4), pp. 394 - 400	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/15509
dc.description.abstract	BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT: a growing number of childbearing women are reported to prefer a caesarean section in the absence of a medical reason. Qualitative research describing factors influencing this preference in pregnant women is lacking. OBJECTIVE: to describe Australian women's request for caesarean section in the absence of medical indicators in their first pregnancy. DESIGN: advertisements were placed in local newspapers inviting women to participate in a telephone interview exploring women's experience of caesarean section. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. SETTING: two states of Australia: Queensland and Western Australia. PARTICIPANTS: a community sample of women (n=210) responded to the advertisements. This paper presents the findings elicited from interviews conducted with 14 women who requested a caesarean section during their first pregnancy in the absence of a known medical indication. FINDINGS: childbirth fear, issues of control and safety, and a devaluing of the female body and birth process were the main themes underpinning women's requests for a non-medically-indicated caesarean section. Women perceived that medical discourses supported and reinforced their decision as a 'safe' and 'responsible' choice. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE: these findings assist women and health professionals to better understand how childbirth can be constructed as a fearful event. In light of the evidence about the risks associated with surgical birth, health-care professionals need to explore these perceptions with women and develop strategies to promote women's confidence and competence in their ability to give birth naturally.	en_US
dc.language	eng	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Midwifery	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.midw.2008.10.011	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Nursing	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Natural Childbirth	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Delivery, Obstetric	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Questionnaires	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Cohort Studies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Mothers	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Nurse-Patient Relations	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Decision Making	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Midwifery	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Pregnancy	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Socioeconomic Factors	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adult	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Unnecessary Procedures	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Western Australia	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires	en_US
dc.title	Why do women request caesarean section in a normal, healthy first pregnancy?	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	4	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	26	en_US
utslib.location.activity	Scotland	en_US
utslib.for	111006 Midwifery	en_US
utslib.for	1110 Nursing	en_US
utslib.for	1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	4	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	26	en_US

Abstract:

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT: a growing number of childbearing women are reported to prefer a caesarean section in the absence of a medical reason. Qualitative research describing factors influencing this preference in pregnant women is lacking. OBJECTIVE: to describe Australian women's request for caesarean section in the absence of medical indicators in their first pregnancy. DESIGN: advertisements were placed in local newspapers inviting women to participate in a telephone interview exploring women's experience of caesarean section. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. SETTING: two states of Australia: Queensland and Western Australia. PARTICIPANTS: a community sample of women (n=210) responded to the advertisements. This paper presents the findings elicited from interviews conducted with 14 women who requested a caesarean section during their first pregnancy in the absence of a known medical indication. FINDINGS: childbirth fear, issues of control and safety, and a devaluing of the female body and birth process were the main themes underpinning women's requests for a non-medically-indicated caesarean section. Women perceived that medical discourses supported and reinforced their decision as a 'safe' and 'responsible' choice. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE: these findings assist women and health professionals to better understand how childbirth can be constructed as a fearful event. In light of the evidence about the risks associated with surgical birth, health-care professionals need to explore these perceptions with women and develop strategies to promote women's confidence and competence in their ability to give birth naturally.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/15509