Predictors of low birth satisfaction among Iranian postpartum women: A cross-sectional study.
Forough Mortazavi, Maryam Mehrabadi
PMID 34719125WHAT IT FOUND
Postpartum women in Iran reported lower birth satisfaction when they had severe fear of childbirth, emergency caesarean, long interval from admission to delivery, first birth, low well-being, or low satisfaction with pregnancy or spouse support.
Key findings
01Women with severe fear of childbirth had a mean birth satisfaction score of 18.5, compared with 25.0 for women without severe fear.
02Emergency caesarean birth, first birth, and longer interval between admission and delivery were associated with lower birth satisfaction.
03Having a doula was associated with higher satisfaction after vaginal birth but lower satisfaction after emergency caesarean.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study measured fear of childbirth and birth satisfaction at the same time, so it cannot show which caused the other. It used a convenience sample from a hospital in Sabzevar, so results may not apply to other settings. Women were surveyed within the first 24 hours after birth, so satisfaction may change after discharge. Women with severe mental illness or severe postpartum complications were excluded. The emergency caesarean group with a doula was small.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that reducing fear of childbirth or arranging a doula will raise birth satisfaction. This study measured associations at the same time point and did not test any intervention.