Delivery In Health Facility: A Study Of The Birthing Experiences Of Women In The New Juabeng Municipality

ABSTRACT Background: Childbirth experiences are some of the most sensitive indicators of utilization of health facilities for delivery purposes. Women who go through the child birthing process are reported to be faced with either negative or positive experiences. This study therefore sought to document women’s childbirth experiences. Methods: The study was a qualitative exploratory using in-depth interviews to elicit information from newly delivered women. Twelve participants were purposively selected from the obstetrics and gynaecology unit of the Eastern Regional Hospital and interviewed. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Results were analyzed using thematic analysis and presented under themes as narratives and supported with quotes. Results: This study found that, some actions of health care staff towards labouring women demoralized such women in the birthing process and resulted in negative birthing experiences. Some of the participants however lauded some health care staff for responding swiftly to their calls for help. It was also revealed that most women upon safe vaginal delivery of babies expressed being fulfilled and satisfied with the process and described the experience as a positive one irrespective of what they had gone through. Some also cited availability of support persons as one factor which culminated into their positive birthing experiences. Conclusions: Several factors such as sociodemographic characteristics, health system factors, environmental factors, labour conditions and sociocultural factors have been identified to influence birthing experiences. It is thus imperative that decision making skills, behavior of healthcare staff within the labour and delivery rooms and professionalism of such staff be looked at and improved upon. This will help women going into labour go through the process safely and come out successfully with positive birthing experiences.