Women's Decision-Making And Factors Affecting Their Choice Of ...

Summary
The qualitative study has revealed several factors spontaneously
mentioned by women that influenced their planned place of delivery. The most
intensively discussed issues related to lack of information about available options,
safety, and importance of control, all of which embody risk perception. Women
in the study agreed in their perception of childbirth as an uncertain process, and
the suitability of the hospital for a first birth. However, they differed on where
they thought was the best place for subsequent births and gave their reasons why
home or hospital was the best.
The results support the view of the Department of Health (1993) that
women do not have information about options available to them. One woman
represented the situation very well when she said "when someone plants a seed of
thought in your head, like perhaps home birth, and gives you some information,
you may consider it more, but because that seed was never planted, I didn't even
consider it". The view of risk perception, that different people have different
perceptions of risk and safety depending on their circumstances, was also
supported by the results.
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