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

The thesis considers childbirth risk to have two dimensions. The first
concerns the uncertainty of the process itself as problems could develop at any
time. For example, a woman who did not have any problems at all during the first
stage of labour may suddenly develop postpartum haemorrhage and collapse in
shock during the third stage. It is possible that women who plan a hospital birth
will be concerned about the uncertainty of the process. The other dimension
could be risk due to technology, and modern medicine. For example, a woman
who labours in hospital might be given an epidural for pain relief, which might
then be followed by a caesarean section because she was not able to push when
required to give birth. If the same woman had laboured at home, she may
possibly have avoided the operation. Women who plan to have their children at
home might be more concerned about the iatrogenic risks of the hospital. An
important factor in the differences could be the perception of benefits (Starr
1969). If people perceive the benefits of their decision as great, their tolerance of
risk is higher (Kahneman, Slovic, and Tverslcy 1982). It has been argued that
factors such as personal relationships, control over events, and the importance of
general happiness may also influence how one perceives risk (Crawford 1987).
For example, a woman who desires to have a family experience of childbirth,
where she is also in control, might worry less about the risk of childbirth.
Individual women's childbirth risk perceptions can only be understood in
the light of their social, cultural, and religious norms, as well as their individual
beliefs. Douglas and Wildavsky (1987) argue that there is no single correct
conception of risk, and that there is no way to get everyone else to accept it. They
take the view that people must decide which risks to fear most, which risks are
worthy of attention and concern, which are worth taking, and which can be
ignored. They also point out that the risks that are finally selected for attention
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