Table 3 Women’s understanding of good, bad & expected birth experiences
Participating woman (live births) | Experienced birth | Expected respectful birth | |
|---|---|---|---|
Good Birth | Bad Birth/ Better Birth | ||
WR05 (2) | -short duration of labour | -too painful -neglect and abandonment -verbal abuse discriminated against on the basis of sex of newborn | -no touching -proper communication -timely examination -no delay in care -polite care provider, serve with a smile -a bed -care provider should treat as family member -non discriminatory care regardless of newborn’s sex -availability of hospital supplies -no disrespect -no extortion -not more than two people around her during childbirth -incentive for institutional birth |
WR08 (2) | -better prepared from experience -lower expectation than previous birth | -too many vaginal examinations by different care providers without maintaining privacy or seeking consent - extortion -blindfolded -inhumane treatment -many men around in the birthing room (OT) | -vaginal (normal) birth -comforting touch -no vaginal examinations -seek consent before touching -explanation and consent before interventions -birth companion in OT |
WU04 (2) | -home birth -better neonatal outcome -respectful communication in hospital birth | -private hospital birth -unaffordable care -journey to hospital to give birth, travel through a bumpy road -unexplained, unconsented augmentation | -home birth -no vaginal examination |
WU02 (3) | -clean toilet -quick ambulance | -swelling of legs and arms -difficulty walking -unconsented and forced vaginal examination -restrained, physical abuse | -no touching -verbal abuse (hoped it won’t happen) -no delay in care -no complications -respectful communication -birth companion of choice -food to be provided at hospital -clean bed, birthing room and bathroom -birth in the hospital - incentive for institutional birth |
WU02 (1) | -comforting touch from another birthing woman’s companion -affordable care | -verbal abuse -shouted at -uterine prolapse repair without anesthesia -baby declared dead by dais without newborn assessment | -no physical abuse -comforting touch -birthing companion of choice -extortion, but hoped it won’t happen −1:1 care -one bed, one room -curtains for privacy -respectful behaviour from care providers -care providers should introduce themselves -baby should be received with care and assessed properly after birth -proper light & ventilation |
WU03 (4) | -presence of ‘guardian’ though not of choice -care providers followed her believes (norms) after insisting -care providers did not do vaginal examination after refusal | -extreme pain -forgotten to remove gauge piece before episiotomy repair -extortion -unexplained and unconsented vaginal examination, episiotomy, episiotomy repair, uterine exploration and augmentation -no anesthesia before episiotomy repair | -husband’s presence as a birth companion -no episiotomy -birthing woman’s norms and believes to be followed |
WU01 (3) | -no medicine -no vaginal examination -less pain -quick delivery -privacy protected | -shouted at, verbally abused -unconsented, unexplained vaginal examination, episiotomy, episiotomy repair, augmentation -restrained, physically abused -detention of newborn -extortion | -no cut -little pain -no stitching without anesthesia -no unnecessary touching -seek permission before touching and interventions -respectful behaviour from care providers -come home alive after birth -no birth companion |
WR07 (3) | -home birth -three live births -same dagarin | -hospital -two stillbirths | -home births -continuity of care across all births |