Aim | Setting | Methods | Analysis | Options available to participants | Sample and sample characteristics | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
To explore the factors involved in deciding to have a home birth. | London, England | Interviews | Thematic | OU or home | Postnatal (3–5 years) Mixed age and parity | |
Ogden et al. (1998) [39] | To ‘explore the experiences of women who have a contemporary commonplace hospital birth’. | London, England | In depth interviews | Thematic | OU or home (in principle) | Postnatal (within 5 years) Multiparous women |
Mansion and McGuire (1998) [28] | To explore what influences women in their choice of DOMINO birth. | Central Scotland | Interview study | Thematic | Hospital OU or DOMINO | Antenatal n = 8 women 22–37 weeks pregnant aged 21–35. Mixed parity. |
Tinkler and Quinney (1998) [48] | To explore women’s experiences of being informed and making decisions (including choice of place of birth). | England | Mixed: interviews (n = 8) and focus groups (n = 14) | Content and thematic | Choice of OU or home birth. | Antenatal and postnatal n = 68 Diverse socio-economic status (SES), age, parity |
Emslie et al. (1999) [29] | To examine the way women make choices and decisions about choice of place of birth | North -East Scotland | Interviews (longitudinal) | Grounded theory Thematic analysis | OU, AMU, FMU and home birth (although home birth discouraged) | Antenatal and postnatal follow up. n = 20 mixed parity. |
Longworth et al. (2001) [35] | To identify 'valued attributes’ of home and hospital birth for women | England (London) | Focus groups (n = 2) | Analysis not described | Home or OU | Antenatal or postnatal – booked in preceding 12 months n = 20 women participated No sample characteristics provided. |
Cheung (2002) [40] | Identify experiences of Chinese and Scottish childbearing women in Scotland | Scotland | Interviews (longitudinal) | Comparative thematic analysis | Hospital OU or home | Antenatal and postnatal follow- up n = 20 women (Chinese n = 10, Scottish n = 10) Age 25–82. Mixed parity. |
Stapleton et al. (2002) [37] | To examine the use of evidence-based leaflets on informed choice in maternity services. | Wales (13 maternity units) | Observations (n = 886), field notes, interviews. | Grounded Theory thematic analysis | Home birth and OU | Antenatal and postnatal Antenatal interviews (n = 85) Postnatal interviews (n = 78) NB Figures relate to entire study, not limited to Choice of Place of Birth leaflet. Theoretical sampling including diverse age, ethnicity and obstetric experiences but parity not specified. |
Madi and Crow (2003) [38] | To find out how much information women have about hospital and home birth | S England | Interviews | Grounded theory thematic analysis | Home or OU | Antenatal. n = 33 (20 planning home birth, 13 planning hospital birth) 32–42 weeks pregnant Low risk pregnancies. Mixed parity. |
Watts et al. (2003) [47] | An evaluation of how the new midwife led service (FMU) was meeting women’s needs, from the service user perspective. | England (rural) | Unstructured interviews, observations and documentary research | Thematic analysis | Home, FMU or OU | Postnatal (within 1 year) n = 8 Multiparous, low risk women |
Andrews (2004) [33] | Explore women’s experience of home birth | S Wales | Interviews | Phenomenological thematic analysis | Hospital OU or home | Postnatal (up to 6 m) n = 8 Mixed parity |
Lavender and Chapple (2005) [41] | Identify models of care that meet the needs of women and offer choice of place of birth. | England | Survey, 71% response rate. Only responses to open questions within survey included. | Thematic analysis | Hospital OU, AMU, FMU, Home (National survey, options varied depending on area where participant lived). | Antenatal (mean 29 weeks) n = 2071 women who used one of 12 maternity units in England Mixed parity mean age 29, mostly white/English speaking, diverse SES |
Shaw and Kitzinger (2005) [32] | To document the obstacles women encounter in trying to exercise their right to choose to give birth at home. | UK | Documentary data. Call transcripts and emails to the Home Birth helpline. | Content and thematic analysis | Hospital OU – home birth was an option but callers had experienced barriers to this. | n = 56 callers to Home Birth helpline, of whom n = 54 women calling on their own behalf. No other demographic data was gathered. |
Barber et al. (2006) [34] | Identify factors that influence women’s decisions about where to give birth | S England | Focus groups (n = 5) | Content and thematic analysis | Hospital OU, FMU or home | Pregnant women (29–40 weeks). n = 20 women (Mixed parity) |
Walsh (2006) [46] | Ethnographic exploration of culture, beliefs, values, customs and practices in FMU. | England (Midlands) | Participant observation (n = 15, 6–10 h),interviews with women (n = 30, 5 of whom were observed) | Thematic analysis | FMU or OU, home. | Antenatal and postnatal (around 3 m) n = 40 Mixed parity. |
Jomeen (2007) [31] | To explore and advance the understanding of maternity care choice through women’s experiences. | North England | Longitudinal narrative interviews | Thematic analysis | OU, home birth, FMU (new). | Antenatal and postnatal follow up. n = 10 low risk women Parity not specified. Aged 18 or older. |
Houghton et al. (2008) [8] | To explore the rationale behind women’s choice of place of birth and the influences on their decision-making. | NW England | Observations and semi-structured interviews | Thematic analysis | OU, home birth, AMU ('integrated MLU') | Antenatal and postnatal follow up n = 30 Mixed parity aged 18–39, 80% married/cohabiting, diverse SES |
Pitchforth et al. (2008) [36] | To explore women’s perceptions of different models of care and willingness to make ‘trade-offs’ in remote and rural areas. | Scotland Remote & rural | Focus groups (n = 8, range 4–7 participants) | Thematic analysis | OU, remote FMU or home | Postnatal women (1 m – 7 years) n = 47 participants Aged 24–45 Parous. |
Pitchforth et al. (2009) [9] | To explore women’s perceptions of “choice” | Scotland Remote & rural | Focus groups (n = 12, range 4–9 participants) | Thematic analysis | OU, remote FMU or home | Postnatal (within 4 years) n = 70 Mixed parity. |
McCutcheon and Brown (2012) [44] | To add to the body of knowledge on place of birth and home birth experiences. | England | Interview study | Thematic analysis | Hospital OU or home | Postnatal Women (n = 9) aged 27–78 who had given birth at home at least once (n = 7) or only in hospital (n = 2). Diverse ethnicity. |
Newburn (2012) [45] | To examine lived experiences in a new birth centre (AMU) | England | Ethnography (participant observation) | Thematic analysis | AMU home or OU | Antenatal (observation) and postnatal (interviews) Postnatal women (n = 11) Mixed SES, ethnically diverse. Parity not clear, but includes multiparous women. |
Coxon et al. (2014) [10] | To understand better what accounts for birth place preferences. | S England | Interviews (longitudinal) | Narrative analysis (thematic and structural) | Hospital OU and home (all); AMU and/or FMU depending on local services. | Antenatal with end of pregnancy follow up. n = 41 women Aged 19 to 42. Mixed parity, mixed ethnicity, diverse SES, mixed risk |
Coxon et al. (2015) [30] | To explore the influence of pregnancy and birth experiences on planned place of birth in future pregnancies | S England | Interviews (longitudinal) | Narrative analysis (thematic and structural) | Hospital OU and home (all); AMU and/or FMU depending on local services. | Antenatal with postnatal follow up n = 41 women Aged 19 to 42. Mixed parity, mixed ethnicity, diverse SES, mixed risk |