Caesarean increases despite the desire for natural childbirth dominate

Nordic School of Public Health NHV 19 October, 2009 Medicine

The thesis “Perspective of risk in childbirth, women’s expressed wishes for mode of delivery and how they actually give birth” will be defended at the Nordic School of Public Health at the 21 of October. It is based on Norwegian data, including the National Mother & Child survey (MoBa). This data shows that 72 percent of all pregnant women want a natural childbirth as possible, without pain and surgery, while 10 percent want a caesarean, if given a choice.
– By fulfilling the potential that lies in the desire for natural childbirth and to talk with women during pregnancy about their earlier birth-experiences and their fear of childbirth, it may still be possible to both increase the number of natural childbirth and reduce the number of caesarean, says Tone Kringeland.
Women who have given birth and those who have done so more than once usually want a natural childbirth. Most likely to get the wish fulfilled among first-time mothers are women who are younger than 25 years, have more than 12 years of education and who did not mention mental health problems.
– It is worrying that even though most first-time mothers want natural childbirth so often it will become a caesarean, says Tone Kringeland.
A major reason to have caesarean is that the woman had one at the time for the first delivery. Another problem is that bad experiences of childbirth is one of the main reasons that women have a caesarean again, even thought they wished for a natural birth.
– Whatever you prefer, there may be situations that require medical treatment, says Kringeland that suggests that it still may be possible to both increase the number of natural childbirth and to reduce the number of caesarean operations.
This can be done by attending the potential that lies in the desire for natural childbirth, and through interviews with pregnant women about past experiences and fear of childbirth.

Tone Kringeland
Phone +47 52 775763 (home) +47 52 702727 (work) 4795165447 (mobile)
E-mail: tone.kringeland@hsh.no
Main Supervisor: Anders Møller, Professor
Co-supervisor: Pprofessor Anne Kjersti Dalt Veit +4755588529, Department of Community Medicine, University of Bergen
Opponent: Ass. Prof. Marie Berg
Dissertation Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 at 09.00 in Aula, Nordic School of Public Health

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