A cross-country survey of attitudes toward childbirth technologies and interventions among university students

Stoll, Kathrin; Edmonds, Joyce K.; Sadler, Michelle; Thomson, Gill; McAra‐Couper, Judith; Swift, Emma; Malott, Anne; Streffing, Joana; Groß, Mechthild M.; Downe, Soo

doi:10.1016/j.wombi.2018.07.025

Cited by 7 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 35 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A dose‐response relationship between childbirth fear scores and preferences for cesarean was observed; that is, 3% of students who scored in the bottom quartile of the scale preferred a cesarean compared with 23% who scored in the top quartile (ie, reported the highest fear levels) . In the third publication, attitudes toward obstetric technology were more closely examined . More than half of students agreed that technology makes birth easier (56%), and half felt that birth technology protects fetuses from harm (49%) and that a woman has the right to choose a medically unnecessary cesarean (51%).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Young men were more likely to support childbirth technologies, compared with young women. When the 8 participating countries were rank‐ordered for each of the 6 items that measured attitudes toward childbirth technologies (with possible scores ranging from 8 to 48, with higher scores indicating more positive attitudes toward obstetric technology), students from New Zealand scored the lowest (16 points) and US students the highest (43 points) …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This article is the last in a series based on data collection and analysis in 8 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). [14][15][16] The first article described the development of the online survey tool, the forward-backward translation process, and the psychometric properties of a 10-item scale that measures childbirth fear prior to pregnancy (CFPP). 14 The second article focused on preferences for cesarean birth without health indications and reasons for this preference.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…15 In the third publication, attitudes toward obstetric technology were more closely examined. 16 More than half of students agreed that technology makes birth easier (56%), and half felt that birth technology protects fetuses from harm (49%) and that a woman has the right to choose a medically unnecessary cesarean (51%). Acceptance of childbirth technology was higher in countries with higher national cesarean rates and among students with higher levels of fear, those who learned about birth via the media and at school, those with less confidence in their knowledge of pregnancy and birth, and younger students.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When the 8 participating countries were rank-ordered for each of the 6 items that measured attitudes toward childbirth technologies (with possible scores ranging from 8 to 48, with higher scores indicating more positive attitudes toward obstetric technology), students from New Zealand scored the lowest (16 points) and US students the highest (43 points). 16 In this article, the focus is on analysis of preferences for midwifery care and community birth options among young people included in the parent cross-country study. These preferences are discussed in the context of the maternity care systems in each country where data were collected.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

A Survey of University Students’ Preferences for Midwifery Care and Community Birth Options in 8 High‐Income Countries

Stoll

Downe

Edmonds

et al. 2020

J Midwife Womens Health

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction: Midwifery care is associated with positive birth outcomes, access to community birth options, and judicious use of interventions. The aim of this study was to characterize and compare maternity care preferences of university students across a range of maternity care systems and to explore whether preferences align with evidence-based recommendations and options available. Methods: A cross-sectional, web-based survey was completed in 2014 and 2015 by a convenience sample of university students in 8 high-income countries across 4 continents (N = 4569). In addition to describing preferences for midwifery care and community birth options across countries, this study examined sociodemographic characteristics, psychological factors, knowledge about pregnancy and birth, and sources of information that shaped students' attitudes toward birth in relation to preferences for midwifery care and community birth options. Results: Approximately half of the student respondents (48.2%) preferred midwifery-led care for a healthy pregnancy; 9.5% would choose to give birth in a birthing center, and 4.5% preferred a home birth. Preference for midwifery care varied from 10.3% among women in the United States to 78.6% among women in the United Kingdom. Preferences for home birth varied from 0.3% among US women to 18.3% among Canadian women. Women, health science students, those with low childbirth fear, those who learned about pregnancy and birth from friends (compared with other sources, eg, the media), and those who responded from Europe were significantly more likely to prefer midwifery care and community birth. High confidence in knowledge of pregnancy and birth was linked to significantly higher odds of community birth preferences and midwifery care preferences. Discussion: It would be beneficial to integrate childbirth education into high school curricula to promote knowledge of midwifery care, pregnancy, and childbirth and to reduce fear among prospective parents. Community birth options need to be expanded to meet demand among the next generation of maternity service users.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

A Survey of University Students’ Preferences for Midwifery Care and Community Birth Options in 8 High‐Income Countries

Stoll

Downe

Edmonds

et al. 2020

J Midwife Womens Health

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Contribution of the abbreviated CAVE-st questionnaire in Spanish: the attitudes toward childbirth experiences

González-Mesa,

González-Cazorla,

González-Cazorla

et al. 2024

Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Changes in attitudes to childbirth in modern times illustrated over three generations in Iraq

Junaid,

Bradbury,

Alhaidari

et al. 2024

Birth

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ObjectiveTo describe changes in attitudes and expectations of labor over the previous six decades, comparing the Iraqi generation who labored at home without medical assistance with their descendants.Study DesignWe used semi‐structured telephone interviews with 22 women across three generations of one extended family living and giving birth in Iraq between the 1950s and the 2010s. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically using open, axial, and selective coding.ResultsEach generation experienced a paradigm shift in childbirth, from exclusive home births to hospital‐directed maternity care, to a trend that favors planned cesarean birth, driven by generation‐specific changes in outlook. Emerging themes included social influences, changing technology, and medical professionals' recommendations; all of these affected attitudes toward childbirth and pregnancy. There were generational disconnects in perceptions concerning the reasons childbirth has changed over the past 60 years, with the youngest generation citing wider pressures regarding body image and marital relationships as two of the factors affecting preferences in childbirth options.ConclusionsSocietal changes and availability of healthcare services affect women's choices and experiences of childbirth. To be successful, efforts to improve women's experiences in labor, as well as maternal and neonatal outcomes, must consider these wider sociocultural issues.

show abstract

A cross-country survey of attitudes toward childbirth technologies and interventions among university students

Cited by 7 publications

References 35 publications

A Survey of University Students’ Preferences for Midwifery Care and Community Birth Options in 8 High‐Income Countries

A Survey of University Students’ Preferences for Midwifery Care and Community Birth Options in 8 High‐Income Countries

Contribution of the abbreviated CAVE-st questionnaire in Spanish: the attitudes toward childbirth experiences

Changes in attitudes to childbirth in modern times illustrated over three generations in Iraq

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About