Expectation and Experience in Alternative and Conventional Birth

A study was conducted to determine if differences exist between the clients of two types of health-care services with regard to the childbirth experience. Nurse-midwife-attended and physician-attended births were compared in terms of the birthing woman's expected and actual participation in her own birthing experience. Questionnaires were completed before and after delivery. The nurse-midwife group both anticipated and experienced significantly more active participation in the birth than the physician group. Also, women attended by nurse-midwives viewed themselves and their partners as the most important individuals for contributing to the satisfaction of the experience while women attended by physicians more often viewed the infant as most important. Differences between the study groups were also found regarding the perceived importance of the birth attendant and the staff nurse.