title: Satisfaction with a modified form of in-hospital birth center care compared with standard maternity care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For safety reasons an in-hospital birth center was replaced by a modified form of birth center care with the same medical guidelines and equipment as in standard care. The aim of this study was to investigate women's and men's satisfaction with modified care compared with standard care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women in both groups gave birth from July 2007 to July 2008. The same medical low-risk criteria during pregnancy applied to both groups. Of those invited to the study, 547 (82.7%) women in modified birth center care and 445 (66.7%) men returned a questionnaire posted 2 months after the birth, and 786 (71.6%) women and 639 (58.2%) men in standard care. Odds ratios (ORs) for being satisfied were calculated with 95 percent confidence intervals (CIs) and adjusted for possible confounders. We also explored the effects of different components of care on overall satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adjusted ORs for being satisfied overall were approximately doubled in the modified birth center group compared with the standard care group: antenatal care-OR: 2.1 (95% CI: 1.6-2.7) in women and OR: 2.2 (95% CI: 1.5-2.8) in men; intrapartum care-OR: 2.2 (95% CI: 1.7-2.9) in women and OR: 1.7 (95% CI: 1.3-2.4) in men; and postpartum care-OR: 1.7 in women (95% CI: 1.4-2.2) and OR: 2.1 (95% CI: 1.6-2.8) in men. Important explanations of these differences included perception of the midwife as being more supportive, the presence of a calmer environment and atmosphere (intrapartum), and the option for fathers to stay overnight (postpartum).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In-hospital birth center with medical equipment on site increased overall satisfaction with all episodes of care compared with standard care. (BIRTH 39:2 June 2012).
authors.affiliation: Midwife at the, South General Hospital (Södersjukhuset, Södra BB).
authors.forename: Charlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tingstig
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gottvall
authors.forename: Charlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grunewald
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Waldenström
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016550:Birthing Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003696:Delivery Rooms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult