Strategies for Promoting Positive Childbirth Experiences: Delphi Approach

Background: The experiences that women gain during childbirth remain with them throughout life. This study aimed to provide strategies to promote positive childbirth experiences. Method: This Delphi study was conducted in three rounds from September to November 2019. A purposively selected 17 national experts, including obstetricians, reproductive health professionals, and midwives, participated in this study. Results: Most of the 52 initial strategies in the first round (50 strategies) were approved with a few corrections in the first and second rounds, and 23 strategies were presented in the third-round questionnaire; most panelists agreed upon them. Finally, they approved 73 strategies with five categories: promoting professional support, enhancing control skills, encouraging empowerment, promoting spouse and other important support, and improving childbirth preparation. Conclusion: The Delphi approach allows for developing a consensus that will serve as a template for education, practice, and future research in maternity care units. Hence, multidimensional approaches are required to promote positive childbirth experiences that can potentially improve mothers’ well-being outcomes.