Who decides the position for birth? A follow-up study of a randomised controlled trial.
BACKGROUND
Physical benefits are suggested for women and their babies when women adopt an upright position of their choice at birth. Available care options during labour influence women's impressions of what intrapartum care is. This indicates that choice of birth positions may be determined more by midwives than by women's preferences.


OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to investigate factors associated with adherence to allocated birth position and also to investigate factors associated with decision-making for birth position.


METHODS
An invitation to answer an on-line questionnaire was mailed.


RESULTS
Despite being randomised, women who gave birth on the seat were statistically significantly more likely to report that they participated in decision-making and that they took the opportunity to choose their preferred birth position. They also reported statistically significantly more often than non-adherers that they felt powerful, protected and self-confident.


CONCLUSIONS
Midwives should be conscious of the potential impact that birth positions have on women's birth experiences and on maternal outcomes. Midwives should encourage women's autonomy by giving unbiased information about the birth seat. An upright birth position may lead to greater childbirth satisfaction. Women's experience of and preferences for birth positions are consistent with current evidence for best practice.
Department of Women's and Children's Health, Division of Reproductive Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE-171 76, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Floor 2, Helsingborg Hospital, Helsingborg SE-25187, Sweden. Electronic address: li.thies-lagergren@bjarenet.com.
Li
L
Thies-Lagergren
Ingegerd
I
Hildingsson
Kyllike
K
Christensson
Linda J
LJ
Kvist
D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007748:Labor Stage, Second; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D008880:Midwifery; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011187:Posture; D011247:Pregnancy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden
Birth position; Decision-making; On-line questionnaire; RCT; Second stage of labour