Mothers’ experiences of an instrumental birth

Abstract

Instrumental birth or assisted vaginal birth refers to the vaginal birth of a baby using instruments such as forceps, vacuum extraction like ventouse or a KIWI device. A research gap has been identified on studies related to maternal experiences of this type of birth. Hence, considering this gap and the increasing number of instrumental vaginal births, it is crucial that this research area is examined. The aim of this study is to explore mothers’ experiences of having an instrumental birth. The objectives of this study are to assess whether mothers receive adequate information during pregnancy regarding instrumental births, to look into the physical and psychological impact of experiencing an instrumental birth and to evaluate the extent of support provided by health care professionals during and after an instrumental birth. The study will use a qualitative approach and six women who would have given birth by instrumental vaginal delivery will be interviewed at six to eight weeks postpartum. Interviews will be conducted at the participants’ home in either the English or Maltese language if the mothers agree to participate. Data will be analysed using thematic analysis. This study is expected to provide deep insights into mothers’ personal experiences of instrumental births, highlighting any gaps in antenatal education regarding this mode of delivery. It may reveal physical and psychological effects that mothers face postpartum, as well as variations in the level of support received from healthcare professionals. The findings could support improvements in antenatal and postnatal care provision, as well as contribute to the development of healthcare professional training to better support women who undergo instrumental births. Ultimately, the study seeks to shed light on maternal experiences with instrumental delivery to ensure enhanced standards of maternity care.