A cross-sectional study of low birth satisfaction during the COVID-19 epidemics' fifth wave.
Forough Mortazavi, Maryam Mehrabadi
PMID 39224921WHAT IT FOUND
Emergency caesarean, instrumental delivery, episiotomy, Entonox, low well-being, fear of COVID-19, and low pregnancy or spouse support were associated with lower birth satisfaction.
Private midwife presence was not associated with higher satisfaction.
Key findings
01In 601 postpartum women, emergency caesarean, instrumental delivery, episiotomy, Entonox analgesia, well-being score below 50, fear of COVID-19, low satisfaction with pregnancy and low satisfaction with spouse support were associated with lower birth satisfaction scores.
02The overall model explained 17.4% of the variance in birth satisfaction scores, and labor and birth variables explained 12.2%.
03Women accompanied by a private midwife reported higher fear of COVID-19, but private midwife presence was not related to birth satisfaction scores.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that any variable caused lower birth satisfaction. Participants were recruited by convenience sampling from a hospital in Iran, so the results may not apply to other settings. Women with mental illness, severe complications, preterm birth, infant intensive care, low Apgar score, congenital malformations, or positive COVID-19 test were excluded. Birth satisfaction was measured only the day after vaginal birth or the second day after caesarean, and satisfaction with nursing services after birth was not assessed. The hospital used a conventional birth setting, not labour-delivery-recovery rooms where women may be less exposed to other women in labour. Missing data on some scales were replaced with each participant's mean score when 20% or less of the scale was missing.
Declared interests
No specific funding was received, and the authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the higher satisfaction score after elective caesarean as a reason to choose caesarean for satisfaction. The study measured associations at one time after birth and did not test caesarean as an intervention, so it cannot show that caesarean causes better satisfaction.