Changes in the basic birth beliefs following the first birth experience: Self-fulfilling prophecies?

ABSTRACT: Women's basic beliefs about birth as a natural and as a medical process are associated with childbirth choices and experience. These beliefs have only recently been quantified and not much is known about their development. In the current study, we assessed the differential effects of the objective and the subjective birth experience on changes in these beliefs. Using self-report questionnaires, we evaluated prenatal to postpartum changes among 342 Israeli first-time mothers. Participants were recruited during pregnancy, between February 2016 and January 2017, mostly in clinical settings, and followed-up two months postpartum. On average, women's beliefs about birth being natural weakened following childbirth and their belief about birth being medical strengthened. In regression models, it

SUBMITTER: Preis H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6258230 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature