Recent research from Oregon State University has found that patients’ overall perceptions of their child-birthing experiences are mainly determined by the type of treatment and attention they received from their medical providers, regardless of if they delivered vaginally or via cesarean.
The research team conducted in-depth interviews with 25 women who had previously given birth via cesarean section and tried for a vaginal delivery instead of cesarean for a subsequent birth. The interviews found that the birthing method did not matter as much as to the patients as the conversations and processes surrounding the deliveries. When patients felt heard and respected by their medical providers, they reported a more positive outcome regardless of if their second birth resulted in an unplanned cesarean.
“People do not forget how you treat them during birth,” said Melissa Cheyney, a medical anthropologist and community midwife at the Oregon State University College of Liberal Arts. “I’ve had people tell me about their birthing experience 40 years ago, and they still remember the nurse who snapped at them or a physician who made them feel disrespected. They also remember the person who said nothing but stroked their hand at the hardest part of labor, offering comfort.”
Dr. Cheyney and her co-authors from Yale University and the University of British Columbia in Canada believe their findings highlight the need for better patient support training among medical professionals. Additionally, they encourage more research into the institutional structures that make it difficult for doctors to give patients the time and attention they need.