Women’s experiences of their involvement around care decisions during a subsequent pregnancy after a previous caesarean birth in Western Australia

Abstract

BackgroundWomen who have a caesarean birth can have an experience that may impact decision-making for subsequent births. For some women this decision-making can be associated with anxiety. AimTo provide rich, surface level descriptions by exploring women’s experiences of their involvement in decision-making during a subsequent pregnancy after a previous caesarean birth. MethodsA descriptive qualitative study was performed between May 2018 and February 2019 using Braun and Clarke’s six steps guided analysis. Pregnant women with a previous caesarean birth, receiving antenatal care at a tertiary maternity hospital in Western Australia, and self-reported low to moderate levels of anxiety were invited to participate in a telephone interview. FindingsWomen’s (n = 17) experiences revealed four themes: 1) Learning from past experiences (two sub-themes loss of control and coming to terms), 2) Claiming ownership in decisions (two sub-themes challenging professional judgement and prioritising her needs, wishes and preferences), 3) Being empowered (three sub-themes getting a full picture, speaking out, and not just the baby or a number), 4) Moving forward (two sub-themes building trust in health professionals and establishing guardrails to minimise loss of control). DiscussionWomen’s experiences around decision-making in a subsequent pregnancy can vary according to whether their fears and anxieties are acknowledged and addressed. Women who are informed, and receive support and respect are empowered to move forward. ConclusionContinuity of care may provide women with more opportunities to build trusting relationships with clinicians and be truly known as an individual with unique preferences and desires.