title: Iranian mothers' selection of a birth method in the context of perceived norms: a content analysis study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to describe women's perceptions of choosing a particular birth method; normal childbirth or caesarean section in the absence of medical indications.
  
  
  METHODS
  a descriptive qualitative content analysis was used for data gathering and analysis. Interviews were held with 18 pregnant and postnatal women. The participants were recruited using a purposive sampling method. Interviews were begun with a general question and were followed with specific questions.
  
  
  METHODS
  three semi-public and public hospitals and two health care centres in an urban area of Iran were the locations of data gathering. Data analysis and data collection were conducted concurrently and interviews were discontinued when data saturation was reached.
  
  
  METHODS
  the participants consisted of 18 women (four pregnant and 14 postnatal) recruited using a purposive sampling method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  'socio-economic and cultural norms' was the main theme that emerged in this study. Four other categories comprised the content of interviews: 'cultural and religious acceptance', 'social acceptance', 'psychological-social support', and 'economical acceptance'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  socio-cultural, religious and economical norms in the Iranian society play main roles in the selection of the birth method by Iranian women. Health care policy-makers are expected to attend to the factors influencing women's decision-making on the childbirth method to reduce the number of unnecessary caesarean sections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: z.abbaspoor@modares.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Abbaspoor
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: moghaddamb@modares.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Lida
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moghaddam-Banaem
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: ahmadif@modares.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Fazlollah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: kazem_an@modares.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Anooshirvan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kazemnejad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D009035:Mothers; D009321:Natural Childbirth / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057240:Patient Preference; D011247:Pregnancy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D066262:Social Norms
keywords: Caesarean section; Iranian women; Maternal request; Socio-cultural norms