Factors influencing women’s decision to opt for an unplanned homebirth
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An exploration of the factors influencing women's decision to opt for an unplanned home birth in labour
IRAS ID
196956
Contact name
Inaki Mansilla Carracedo
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of West London
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 18 days
Research summary
This project aims to explore why women opt to have an unplanned home birth in labour despite their first intention at booking, where they decided to have their babies in either a midwifery-led unit or an obstetric unit setting. According to NICE guideline (2014) giving birth for both first time mothers-to-be and women who had one or more children, is generally safe for them and their babies.
Nevertheless, while studies suggest birth is safe regardless of the birth setting women choose, there is only a 2.3% number of home births in the UK (ONS 2014). This percentage has been unchanged since 2012. Historically, women used to give birth at home, however most developed countries experienced a change from home to hospitals during the 20th century (Zeilinski, Ackerson and Low, 2015). The reasons for this massive drop were campaigns to convince women to go to hospital due to housing conditions and poor health after war. By 1988 only a 0.9% of women had their babies at home, timidly rising to what is now a 2.3% of home births. This study is going to be conducted in a specific area covered by a hospital sited in South Central England. The hospital provides coverage to a multicultural population of around 4.500 deliveries per annum.
A qualitative research will be the most suitable method. A phenomenology approach will allow to the researcher to explore which factors influence women decision to opt for a home birth. The researcher will conduct a pilot study of 2 women followed by another 6 more women. Therefore, 8 interviews in total will be carried out postnatally. Subsequently, transcription will be performed to confer meaning to the participant's words, which will be sent back to participants to verify the emerging themes.
REC name
London - Westminster Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/1360
Date of REC Opinion
9 Aug 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion