Personal control and the birth environment: comparisons between home and hospital settings

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors which influenced experienced control during childbirth in low-risk women choosing two different birth environments. Eighty women choosing hospital birth and 80 choosing home birth were interviewed prenatally and again at two weeks postpartum. Those who chose home birth had a greater degree of affiliation with caregivers and more freedom of exploration and self-expression, while those who gave birth in hospital experienced more aversive stimuli (intrusive procedures and unfamiliar people). The home birth group had significantly higher levels of perceived control during childbirth. In the total sample, the combination of expectations of control and the type of childbirth setting accounted for 33·5% of the variance in perceived control scores. The findings provided partial support for a model of person-environment interaction during childbirth.