Creating birth spaces from women's experiences of birth (version 1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Creating birth spaces from women's experiences of birth. A qualitative study of how women use space for labour and birth in different birth settings.
IRAS ID
157602
Contact name
Sarah J Joyce
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Sheffield
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 26 days
Research summary
This PhD study examines the creation of birth spaces in the UK by focusing on women’s birth experiences. The research questions reflect the perceived need for service users’ engagement in the design process of birth spaces and the approach aligns with woman-centred care as defined in the Royal College of Midwives position statement on woman-centred care (2008).
The study investigates how women recall the significance of spaces in childbirth. It will be conducted through semi-structured qualitative interviews during which the participant creates a drawn mapping of a childbirth experience. The process of drawing will be structured to aid comparisons during data analysis. The process also aims to aid participants to draw without concerns over artistic skill and to aid them to identify significant spaces. The interview conversation will be audio recorded and transcribed, and the combined data from the conversation and drawn map analysed for emerging themes. Proposals for space layout/design will be developed in response to these themes and finally, compared to existing design guidance for birth settings.
Up to 20 postnatal women will be recruited, who gave birth in Leeds or Bradford and whose babies are between 3–12 months old. The sample size reflects the workload capacity of one student investigator completing interviews and transcription. There is a range of birth settings available across Leeds and Bradford (labour wards, birth centre and home). The selection of recruits will aim to represent this range as much as possible. Proposed space layouts will be developed from the data collected and the emerging themes will be reported in a written document.
REC name
South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/SC/1388
Date of REC Opinion
12 Nov 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion