Table 1 Details for the characteristics of the included studies

Eide et al. (2019) Norway [35]

To provide a qualitative exploration of maternal requests for a planned caesarean section in Norway, in the absence of obstetric indications.

University hospital in Norway.

Women recruited consecutively. Referred for birth counselling with a CS request.

Purposive sample of midwives.

17 Women 27–42 years of age (14 multipara and 3 primipara).

9 midwives

11 obstetricians.

Women: Semi-structured in-depth interviews.

Professionals: focus group discussions.

Systematic Text Condensation.

Eide et al. (2020) Norway [36]

To explore women’s access to patient-centred counselling for concerns initiating caesarean requests in absence of obstetric indications in pregnancy, and to identify tensions, barriers and facilitators affecting such care.

University hospital in Norway.

Informants recruited consecutively. Purposive sample.

17 women (1 nullipara and 16 multipara).

9 midwives

11 obstetricians.

Women: Semi-structured in-depth interviews.

Caregivers: focus group discussions.

Systematic Text Condensation a method for thematic analysis presented within the frames of Levesque et al.

Emmett et al. (2006) UK [25]

To explore women’s experiences of decision making about mode of delivery after previous caesarean section.

Identified through medical records

Maternity units in England and Scotland.

21 women with previous CS experience.

Semi-structured interviews.

Thematic framework.

Fenwick et al. (2006) Australia [26]

To describe the childbirth expectations, influences and knowledge of a group of Western Australian women who experienced a caesarean section (CS) and would prefer a CS in a subsequent pregnancy.

Advertisement in newspapers in one Australian city (Perth).

49 women with previous experience of CS and preferred CS in subsequent pregnancy.

Telephone interviews.

Constant comparison method by the principles of grounded theory.

Fenwick et al. (2010) Australia [27]

To describe Australian women’s request for caesarean section in the absence of medical indicators in their first pregnancy.

Advertisement in regional and local newspapers in the states of QLD and WA, Australia.

14 women requested CS during first pregnancy absence of known medical indication.

Telephone interviews.

Thematic analysis.

Kamal et al. (2005) UK [33]

To explore the views of health professionals on the factors influencing repeat caesarean section.

Two hospitals with maternity care and from midwifery teams.

25 midwives and doctors.

Interviews

Constant comparative method by the principles of grounded theory.

Karlström et al. (2009) Sweden [34]

To describes obstetricians’ and midwives’ attitudes towards CS on maternal request.

Purposive sample of midwives and obstetricians from 3 hospitals and antenatal clinics in Sweden.

16 midwives and 9 obstetricians.

Focus group discussions.

Content analysis.

Kenyon et al. (2016) UK [37]

This article documents a project that was undertaken as collaboration between Birmingham Women’s NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Birmingham and women who had used the BWNFT service.

The experience of both clinical staff and women who had experienced maternal request for CS pathway.

15 women, 10 obstetricians, 12 midwives, 17 health care professionals in a workshop (midwives, midwifery managers, student, research midwives and obstetric consultants).

Semi-structured interviews for women.

Professionals in a joint workshop.

Framework by experience-based co-design methodology.

Kornelsen et al. (2010) Canada [28]

To explore women’s experiences of the decision-making process leading to elective operative delivery without medical indication.

Five hospitals in British Columbia.

Third party recruitment, identified with (i) chart notation by antepartum and labour ward nurse, (ii) community-based public health postpartum visits nurses, (iii) poster advertisement in 25 obstetrician gynaecologists’ offices, (iv) advertisement in parenting magazine.

17 primiparous women who had undergone a patient-initiated elective Caesarean section in the absence of any medical indication.

Explorative in-depth interviews.

Grounded theory techniques.

McGrath et al. (2009) Australia [29]

To explore, from the mothers’ perspective, the process of decision-making about mode of delivery for a subsequent birth after a previous Caesarean Section.

Obstetric department at a hospital.

Women consecutively enrolled from RH hospital list, who had all had a previous CS and a subsequent birth at RH six years prior to the interviews.

16 multiparous women who chose to birth by elective caesarean.

Interviews.

Thematic analysis.

Ramvi et al. (2011) Norway [30]

To investigate specifically women who requested a caesarean section due to fear, but who still gave birth vaginally despite this fear. The fear, the decision-making process, and the vaginal birth experience were explored from the women’s perspective.

A part of an intervention study “Team Midwifery”. Recruited from a hospital.

5 women.

Narrative interviews.

Biographical, narrative, interpretative method.

Sahlin et al. (2013) Sweden [31]

To describe the underlying reasons for the desire for a caesarean section in the absence of medical indication in pregnant first-time mothers.

One Swedish hospital.

Recruited at the obstetrician visit after CS decision was taken.

12 first-time mothers.

Individual interviews.

Qualitative content analysis.

Thirukumar et al. (2021) Australia [32]

To understand women’s mode-of-birth preferences and shared decision-making

experiences during planned cesarean birth

Eight Australian metropolitan hospitals

Women who

would undergo planned CB were given the option

to indicate their willingness to participate in interviews.

33 women who had undergone a planned

CB

Telephone audio-recorded

Interviews.

Inductive thematic analysis.

Weaver et al. (2007) UK [38]

To examine whether, and in what context, maternal requests for caesarean section are made.

Participants were recruited from antenatal clinics and hospitals.

44 women who had considered, or been asked to consider, caesarean section during pregnancy were interviewed postnatally.

29 obstetricians.

Interviews.

Thematic analysis.