Experiences of water immersion during childbirth: a qualitative thematic synthesis

Table 4 Reasons for choosing a water birth

Reasons identified	Source
Prior knowledge of water birth	[8, 12]
Recommendation by others	[8, 12]
Relaxation and decreased anxiety	[9, 12]
Sense of comfort and well-being	[9]
Desire for natural birth	[10, 12]
Pain relief during labor	[9, 12]
Reduced likelihood of perineal tearing	[9]
Shortened active phase of labor	[9]
No increased risk of newborn mortality compared to conventional delivery	[9]
No adverse effect on newborn’s general condition (Apgar test)	[9]
No increased risk of infection for the newborn	[9]

[8] Clews et al. 2019; [9] Poder et al. 2020; [10] Fair et al. 2020; [12] Lewis et al. 2018

ISSN: 1471-2393