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Table 1 Main categories and themes of maternal reasons for cesarean birth

From: Why do pregnant women prefer cesarean birth? A qualitative study in a tertiary care center in Southern Thailand

Category

Themes

I. Fear of childbirth

- Fear of labor pain

- Fear of facing two painful events (failure of vaginal delivery and cesarean section)

- Fear of harming the baby

II. Safety concerns related to health risk perceptions

- Underlying medical diseases (diabetes mellitus, heart diseases and HIV)

- Biological risks (advanced maternal age and obesity)

- Reproductive health problem (infertility)

III. Previous negative birth experiences

- Inadequate pain control

- Dystocia

- Baby injury

IV. Positive attitudes toward cesarean delivery

- Advantages of cesarean delivery

- Disadvantages of vaginal delivery

V. Access to biased information

- Personal advice

- Mass media

VI. Superstitious belief in auspicious birth dates

- Good fortune