Connection between women’s preparedness for childbirth and satisfaction with childbirth process

Antenatal education increases both the consciousness in pregnant women and the ability to overcome fear and anxiety, helps control pain during childbirth as well as identify oneself within the role of motherhood. The evaluation of women’s satisfaction with childbirth process facilitates the understanding of childbirth experience. In order to provide high quality care in antenatal and postnatal period, it is significant to identify the correlation between antenatal education and the satisfaction with childbirth. The aim of this research is to identify the correlation between the women’s preparedness for childbirth and the satisfaction with childbirth process. Research methodology. Quantitative research has been fulfilled with the questionnaire used as a research instrument. The Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) has been applied. 212 respondents have been included into the research sample. The research has been accomplished in compliance with ethical principles. SPSS 26.0 Statistical Software has been applied for data processing with the data edited using Microsoft Excel. Research results. Women in childbirth who have taken part in the research state that they have received the information of highest quality while reading books and research articles, consulting with an obstetrician-gynaecologist as well as through surfing specialised web pages. It has been revealed that women in childbirth feel the lack of information about the instruments used in childbirth process and possible complications during the postnatal period. Moreover, these women face the lack of information about such issues as the need to get some quietness and peace, lack of sleep as well as the problems related to child’s screaming and crying. The quality of help provided during childbirth process was higher when pregnant women could visit and choose the hospital where childbirth was planned. When there was no medical pain relief applied, the stress experienced during childbirth process was tolerated better with the generally better satisfaction with childbirth process. Also, the satisfaction with childbirth process was higher when pregnant women were provided with the information by taking part in maternity courses or through consulting with a doctor. It has been determined that with the age of women in childbirth increasing the stress experienced during childbirth decreases. Although no relation between the satisfaction of women in childbirth with the childbirth process and their education has been identified, those with higher university or non-university degree acquired have had more information about pain relief. Divorced women in childbirth compared to married women in childbirth or those living in a partnership have been less satisfied with the quality of services provided. The women in childbirth with prior childbirth experience have had more information related to new-born care and breastfeeding. Conclusion. The amount of information received increases the satisfaction of women with both the quality of help provided and the childbirth process itself