A qualitative study exploring women’s confidence for birth
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A grounded theory study exploring women’s perception of confidence for birth, during pregnancy and labour.
IRAS ID
177526
Contact name
Emily Young
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Univeristy of Southampton
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 8 months, 26 days
Research summary
Confident Birthing: A grounded theory study exploring women’s perception of a ‘confident birth’.\n\nThis study aims to help women have a better birth experience, by trying to understand what a ‘confident birth’ means to women during pregnancy and labour. Results from a recent service evaluation, exploring a new programme designed to enhance women’s birth experience, highlighted the importance of understanding women’s confidence for birth. A significant number of pregnant women that attended the course (19.5%) felt ‘not at all confident’ for birth. The service evaluation results also suggested that confidence for birth is an important influence of enhancing birth experience. \n\nThere is some research that suggests that if women’s confidence for birth can be improved, then she may be less fearful of birth and have experience less labour pain. However, very little is known about what women consider to be a ‘confident birth’ and who or what they feel influences their confidence. If maternity services are able to understand this, this could possibly lead to the development of tools and strategies to help women to feel more confident for giving birth.\n\nThis is a qualitative study that involves two methods of data collection: interviews and social media. Women that are pregnant or have recently given birth will be interviewed to explore who or what they feel has influenced their confidence for birth. The interviews will last for about one and a half hours. The location for interview is flexible and women can be interviewed in their own home. In addition to this, approximately 500 messages posted on a large UK parenting website about confidence for birth will also be analysed. \n
REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/NW/0949
Date of REC Opinion
1 Dec 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion