Factors that Promote a Positive Childbearing Experience: A Qualitative Study.
Helen Hall, Ensieh Fooladi, Joy Kloester and 5 others
PMID 36083856WHAT IT FOUND
Women rated respectful, individualized maternity care as more important than getting the birth they had planned.
They described continuity, clear communication, shared decisions, privacy, and competent staff as central to positive experiences.
Key findings
01Women said respectful, individualized care mattered more than achieving the birth they had hoped for.
02Women described continuity with known midwives, integrated services, and accessible responsive staff as important to feeling safe and supported.
03Women described shared decision-making, clear communication, and postnatal debriefing as central to a positive experience.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only women who said their perinatal care was positive were included, so the study does not explain negative experiences. Participants were mostly well-educated white Australian women living in metropolitan areas, so findings may not transfer to culturally diverse, rural, or remote women. The study was done in Australia's public system with free universal care, so cost and private care dynamics may differ. Recruitment through social media and snowballing may have over-represented women already connected to certain networks. All women received care before pandemic restrictions, which may limit transferability to pandemic or post-pandemic maternity services. Qualitative interviews cannot show that any care factor caused a positive experience or improved clinical outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat these themes as proof that continuity of care, privacy, or communication improves clinical outcomes. The study asked women who already reported positive experiences to describe factors they valued, so it reports perceptions, not tested effects.