Socially disadvantaged women's views of barriers to feeling safe to engage in decision-making in maternity care.

CONCLUSION: This research found that socially disadvantaged women want to engage in their care. However without adequate information and facilitation of choice by midwives, they believe they are outsiders to the maternity care culture and decision-making processes. Consequently, they delegate responsibility for maternity care choices to those who do belong; midwives. These findings suggest that midwives need to better communicate a valuing of the woman's participation in decision-making processes and to work with women so they do have a sense of belonging within the maternity care environment. Midwives need to ensure that socially disadvantaged women do feel safe about having a voice regarding their choices and find ways to give them a sense of control within their maternity care encounters. PMID: 24355713 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Women Birth - Category: Midwifery Authors: Tags: Women Birth Source Type: research