First-time mothers' wish for a planned caesarean section: deeply rooted emotions.
BACKGROUND
international estimates suggest that caesarean section on maternal request range from 4% to 18% of all caesarean section. An increasing number of surveys have investigated women's reasons for a caesarean section in the absence of a medical indication but few studies have solely studied first-time mothers motivation for this request.


OBJECTIVE
to describe the underlying reasons for the desire for a caesarean section in the absence of medical indication in pregnant first-time mothers.


METHODS
a qualitative descriptive study, with content analysis of interviews with 12 first-time mothers.


RESULTS
the overarching theme formulated to illustrate the central interpreted meaning of the underlying desire for a planned caesarean section was based on deeply rooted emotions'. Four categories were identified as related to the request for a caesarean section on maternal request. The categories was identified as 'always knowing that there are no other options than a caesarean section', 'caesarean section as a more controlled and safe way of having a baby', own negative experiences of health care and having problems dealing with other people's reaction about their mode of delivery.


CONCLUSIONS
the results show that for these first-time mothers deeply rooted emotions described as stronger than fear of birth were behind their wish for a planned caesarean section.
Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. maria.sahlin@ki.se
M
M
Sahlin
A-K
AK
Carlander-Klint
I
I
Hildingsson
I
I
Wiklund
D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003657:Decision Making; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010298:Parity; D010358:Patient Participation; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013548:Sweden