Development and validation of the birth integrity questionnaire for measuring attitudes, maternity care, and perceptions of birth.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Public health research on maternal health has increasingly focused on care quality, emphasizing subjective evaluations and addressing issues such as obstetric violence and mistreatment during childbirth. In 2014, the WHO called for research to prevent and eliminate mistreatment, advocating for respectful maternity care. While significant research exists in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, research in European settings is lacking. Our Germany-based study on Birth Integrity aims to capture a holistic understanding of the birthing process, encompassing culturally mediated attitudes, actual birth experiences, and perceptions of childbirth.

Methods

The Birth Integrity Questionnaire (BI-Q) was developed through construct definition, item development, expert reviews, and

SUBMITTER: Batram-Zantvoort S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12560401 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature