Abstract
Primiparous Women’s Experiences of Normal Vaginal delivery in Iran: A qualitative study Abstract Background: Childbirth is considered as the most challenging psychological event in women's life. It has a powerful effect on women’s lives with long-term positive or negative impacts. Cultural, religious, and socioeconomic differences can affect women’s perception about normal vaginal delivery (NVD) experience, it is necessary to explore the primiparous women's perception about it. Methods: This qualitative study with a descriptive content analysis approach was conducted in Kashan, a city in the center of Iran. Purposive sampling was used to recruit the participants of the current study. Data was gathered by semi-structured interviews during 24 hours after normal vaginal birth among primiparous women. The Sampling started from June to October in 2016. Interviews continued till data saturation. Data saturation was achieved in the 14th interview but for assurance, it continued until the 17th one. Results: The following three main themes were extracted "immersion in stress", "pain, the essence of NVD" and "strategies for situation management". Also, seven sub themes were obtained including 'loss threat’, ‘stressful context', temporary impairment in physiologic harmony, paradoxical emotions, self-management, emotional support, and spiritual support. Conclusions: This study showed that stress and pain were two highlighted issues in NVD process. Increasing women's awareness about NVD process and what they experience during this process, familiarizing the primiparous women with the simulated delivery room, accompanying these women for emotional support, and providing spiritual support can be effective in situation management to make the child delivery a pleasant and satisfying experience.
Primiparous Women’s Experiences of Normal Vaginal Delivery in Iran: A Qualitative Study