Shared Decision Making During Labor and Birth Among Low-Risk, Active-Duty Women in the U.S. Military

Abstract

The current cesarean rate among low-risk women (nulliparous, term gestation, singleton fetus in the vertex presentation [NTSV]) in the United States averages 25.9%, which may be explained by the overuse of intrapartum interventions, where the use of multiple interventions is associated with cesarean birth. In cases where evidence does not clearly justify using an intervention, women should be engaged in shared decision making (SDM) with their provider. The purpose of this study was to propose a conceptual framework that explains the process of SDM during labor and childbirth in low-risk, active-duty women.