‘A caesarean section is like you've never delivered a baby’: a mixed methods study of the experience of childbirth among French women
The experience of childbirth has been technologized worldwide, leading to major social changes. In France, childbirth occurs almost exclusively in hospitals. Few studies have been published on the opinions of French women regarding obstetric technology and, in particular, caesarean section. In 2017–...
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doaj-afb8c67bbab241d8a970e276ba6336732021-06-05T06:10:05ZengElsevierReproductive Biomedicine & Society Online2405-66182021-03-01126978‘A caesarean section is like you've never delivered a baby’: a mixed methods study of the experience of childbirth among French womenClémence Schantz0Anne-Charlotte Pantelias1Myriam de Loenzien2Marion Ravit3Patrick Rozenberg4Christine Louis-Sylvestre5Sophie Goyet6Centre d’Etude des Mouvements Sociaux, CNRS/EHESS FRE2023 – INSERM U1276, Paris, France; Centre Population et Développement, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement et Université de Paris, INSERM ERL 1244, Paris, France; Corresponding author at: Centre d’Etude des Mouvements Sociaux, CNRS/EHESS FRE2023 – INSERM U1276, Paris, France.École de Sages-Femmes de Suresnes, Hôpital Foch, Université de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, UFR des Sciences de la Santé Simone Veil, Suresnes, FranceCentre Population et Développement, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement et Université de Paris, INSERM ERL 1244, Paris, FranceCentre Population et Développement, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement et Université de Paris, INSERM ERL 1244, Paris, FranceVersailles St-Quentin University, Research Unit EA 7285, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France; Département d’Obstétrique et de Gynécologie, CHI Poissy-Saint Germain, Poissy, FranceDépartement Mère Enfant, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Paris, FranceIndependent Researcher, Annecy-le-Vieux, FranceThe experience of childbirth has been technologized worldwide, leading to major social changes. In France, childbirth occurs almost exclusively in hospitals. Few studies have been published on the opinions of French women regarding obstetric technology and, in particular, caesarean section. In 2017–2018, we used a mixed methods approach to determine French women’s preferences regarding the mode of delivery, and captured their experiences and satisfaction in relation to childbirth in two maternity settings. Of 284 pregnant women, 277 (97.5%) expressed a preference for vaginal birth, while seven (2.5%) women expressed a preference for caesarean section. Vaginal birth was also preferred among 26 women who underwent an in-depth interview. Vaginal birth was perceived as more natural, less risky and less painful, and to favour mother–child bonding. This vision was shared by caregivers. The women who expressed a preference for vaginal birth tended to remain sexually active late in their pregnancy, to find sexual intercourse pleasurable, and to believe that vaginal birth would not enlarge their vagina. A large majority (94.5%) of women who gave birth vaginally were satisfied with their childbirth experience, compared with 24.3% of those who underwent caesarean section. The caring attitude of the caregivers contributed to increasing this satisfaction. The notion of women’s ‘empowerment’ emerged spontaneously in women’s discourse in this research: women who gave birth vaginally felt satisfied and empowered. The vision shared by caregivers and women that vaginal birth is a natural process contributes to the stability of caesarean section rates in France.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405661820300277biotechnologybiomedicalizationchildbirthgendersatisfactionsexuality |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Clémence Schantz Anne-Charlotte Pantelias Myriam de Loenzien Marion Ravit Patrick Rozenberg Christine Louis-Sylvestre Sophie Goyet |
spellingShingle |
Clémence Schantz Anne-Charlotte Pantelias Myriam de Loenzien Marion Ravit Patrick Rozenberg Christine Louis-Sylvestre Sophie Goyet ‘A caesarean section is like you've never delivered a baby’: a mixed methods study of the experience of childbirth among French women Reproductive Biomedicine & Society Online biotechnology biomedicalization childbirth gender satisfaction sexuality |
author_facet |
Clémence Schantz Anne-Charlotte Pantelias Myriam de Loenzien Marion Ravit Patrick Rozenberg Christine Louis-Sylvestre Sophie Goyet |
author_sort |
Clémence Schantz |
title |
‘A caesarean section is like you've never delivered a baby’: a mixed methods study of the experience of childbirth among French women |
title_short |
‘A caesarean section is like you've never delivered a baby’: a mixed methods study of the experience of childbirth among French women |
title_full |
‘A caesarean section is like you've never delivered a baby’: a mixed methods study of the experience of childbirth among French women |
title_fullStr |
‘A caesarean section is like you've never delivered a baby’: a mixed methods study of the experience of childbirth among French women |
title_full_unstemmed |
‘A caesarean section is like you've never delivered a baby’: a mixed methods study of the experience of childbirth among French women |
title_sort |
‘a caesarean section is like you've never delivered a baby’: a mixed methods study of the experience of childbirth among french women |
publisher |
Elsevier |
series |
Reproductive Biomedicine & Society Online |
issn |
2405-6618 |
publishDate |
2021-03-01 |
description |
The experience of childbirth has been technologized worldwide, leading to major social changes. In France, childbirth occurs almost exclusively in hospitals. Few studies have been published on the opinions of French women regarding obstetric technology and, in particular, caesarean section. In 2017–2018, we used a mixed methods approach to determine French women’s preferences regarding the mode of delivery, and captured their experiences and satisfaction in relation to childbirth in two maternity settings. Of 284 pregnant women, 277 (97.5%) expressed a preference for vaginal birth, while seven (2.5%) women expressed a preference for caesarean section. Vaginal birth was also preferred among 26 women who underwent an in-depth interview. Vaginal birth was perceived as more natural, less risky and less painful, and to favour mother–child bonding. This vision was shared by caregivers. The women who expressed a preference for vaginal birth tended to remain sexually active late in their pregnancy, to find sexual intercourse pleasurable, and to believe that vaginal birth would not enlarge their vagina. A large majority (94.5%) of women who gave birth vaginally were satisfied with their childbirth experience, compared with 24.3% of those who underwent caesarean section. The caring attitude of the caregivers contributed to increasing this satisfaction. The notion of women’s ‘empowerment’ emerged spontaneously in women’s discourse in this research: women who gave birth vaginally felt satisfied and empowered. The vision shared by caregivers and women that vaginal birth is a natural process contributes to the stability of caesarean section rates in France. |
topic |
biotechnology biomedicalization childbirth gender satisfaction sexuality |
url |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405661820300277 |
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