Predictors of a negative labour and birth experience based on a national survey of Canadian women

• Published in: BMC pregnancy and childbirth 2016-05, Vol.16 (1), p.114-114, Article 114
• Main Authors: Smarandache, Andrei, Kim, Theresa H M, Bohr, Yvonne, Tamim, Hala
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Canada; Cesarean Section - psychology; Childbirth & labor; Clinical decision making; Cross-Sectional Studies; Decision making; Female; Health risk assessment; Humans; Labor, Obstetric - psychology; Maternal Age; Mothers - psychology; Obstetric Labor Complications - etiology; Obstetric Labor Complications - psychology; Odds Ratio; Parturition - psychology; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Unplanned - psychology; Premature birth; Prenatal Care - psychology; Risk Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Systematic review; Violence - psychology; Well being; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-2393; 1471-2393
• DOI: 10.1186/s12884-016-0903-2

A negative birth experience has been shown to have a significant impact on the well-being and future choices of mothers. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of, and identify the risk factors associated with a negative birth experience for women in Canada. The study was based on secondary data analysis of the Maternity Experiences Survey (MES), a Canadian population database administered to 6,421 Canadian women in 2006. The examined outcome - negative birth experience - was derived from mothers' self-report of overall labour and birth experience. Independent variables were maternal demographics, health characteristics, pregnancy-related characteristics, and birth characteristics. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the significant predictors of negative birth experience. Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR) and 95 % Confidence Intervals (CI) are reported. Negative birth experience was reported among 9.3 % of women. The main significant predictors of a negative birth experience included older age (AOR 2.29, 95 % CI, 1.03-5.07), violence experienced in the past two years (AOR, 1.62, 95 % CI, 1.21-2.18), poor self-perceived health (adjusted OR, 1.95, 95 % CI, 1.36-2.80), prenatal classes attended (adjusted OR, 1.36, 95 % CI, 1.06-1.76), unintended pregnancy (adjusted OR, 1.30, 95 % CI, 1.03-1.63), caesarean birth (AOR, 1.65, 95 % CI, 1.32-2.06), and neonate admission to intensive care (AOR, 1.40, 95 % CI, 1.08-1.82). Significant predictors of a negative labour and birth experience were identified through this study, a first in the Canadian context. These findings suggest future research directions and provide a basis for the design and evaluation of maternal health policy and prevention programs.