eISSN: 2300-6722
ISSN: 1899-1874
Medical Studies/Studia Medyczne
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2/2019
vol. 35
 
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abstract:
Original paper

Women’s interest in birth centre care – is it time to make more options available?

Julia Nawrot
1
,
Agnieszka Gniadek
2
,
Aneta Suder
3

  1. Department of Rudiments of Midwifery, Institute of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
  2. Department of Nursing Management and Epidemiological Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
  3. Department of Neonatology, University Hospital, Krakow, Poland
Medical Studies/Studia Medyczne 2019; 35 (2): 117–122
Online publish date: 2019/06/28
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Introduction
Birth centers, otherwise known as midwife-led units, midwifery units, are designed for women in physiological pregnancy, who would like to give birth in a possibly natural way. This type of care offers homelike environment, with basic medical equipment on-site.

Aim of the research
To explore women’s preferences regarding an alternative model of perinatal care in birth centers.

Material and methods
A two-phase study was used. In this exploratory descriptive study quantitative data were collected by anonymous questionnaire from 153 women in Poland from January 2017 to May 2017. A sample of women of childbearing age from various parts of Poland were recruited via the Internet and in-person.

Results
Almost 79% of respondents declared their interest in giving birth in a natural rhythm led by a midwife. From the group potentially interested in giving birth in a birthing centre 41.2% of respondents fully agreed with the statement “Physiological birth in the home is a safe alternative to giving birth in the hospital”, and 23.5% of the respondents from the same group agreed with the above statement partially. All aspects that are the domains of midwife-led care in birth centres, such as the use of non-pharmacological pain relief, one-to-one midwife care during delivery, and intimate homelike surroundings, were important for over 70% of respondents.

Conclusions
Women show interest in birth centre care during the perinatal period. Introducing birth centres into perinatal care for women in a physiological pregnancy with low risk of complications may match their needs.

keywords:

midwife, natural childbirth, Birthing Centers

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