Höfundar:
Katrín Sif Sigurgeirsdóttir, Ólöf Ásta Ólafsdóttir, Hildur Kristjánsdóttir, Berglind Hálfdánsdóttir
Introduction: Individualized health care is based on moral values and respect for human rights. The World Health Organization has highlighted the importance of respect as the basis for any therapeutic relationship. It is important that Nordic midwives, who are the primary maternity care providers in the Nordic countries, look for ways to provide respectful maternity services. The aim of the study was to answer the research question: How do women who choose home birth in the Nordic countries experience respect during birth? The purpose was to increase knowledge on respect in maternity service and support the development of maternity care.
Methods: A narrative analysis was used to analyze a qualitative database on home births in the Nordic countries: Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Data was collected in 2008-2013 with a questionnaire available online which included one open-ended question answered by 603 women having a planned home birth: „Can you please describe your birth in your own words?“
Results: The narrative analysis is reflected in the main-theme „Professional midwife-woman relationship based on respect, trust and security“ and four sub-themes: 1) autonomy and respected choices; 2) control over the situation; 3) empowerment; 4) respect for a partner’s participation.
Conclusions: Reflection on women’s and their partners’ experiences of home birth is important for the development of midwifery services. With a constant demand for efficiency in health services it is important to safeguard and promote respect in maternity services. A respectful and professional midwife-woman relationship is an essential core component of midwives’ maternity services.