A new analysis in Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care has identified several factors that influence women’s decisions about where to give birth—such as in birth centers, in the home, or in hospitals.
The analysis included 23 published studies on the topic. Four themes emerged to describe factors influencing birth setting decision-making among people who can become pregnant in the United States: safety versus risk of different settings; influence of media, family, and friends; the presence or absence of choice and control during labor and birth; and access to options (either physical or financial).
“Understanding how people decide where to give birth can support informed decision-making about a given birth setting’s ability to fit their needs and affect their experiences and outcomes,” said lead author Erin George, CNM, MSN, of Boston College. “Such research is also necessary to underscore the importance of building a comprehensive system of high-quality perinatal health in the United States that ensures equitable access to all birth settings.”
URL Upon Publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/birt.12640
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About the Journal
Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care is a multidisciplinary, refereed journal devoted to issues and practices in the care of childbearing women, infants, and families. It is written by and for professionals in maternal and neonatal health, nurses, midwives, physicians, public health workers, doulas, social scientists, childbirth educators, lactation counselors, epidemiologists, and other health caregivers and policymakers in perinatal care.
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