Expectations of the upcoming birth - A survey of women's self-efficacy and birth positions

Background: Adopting an upright sacrum flexible position may facilitate physiological childbirth, which many pregnant women wish for. A positive association between women's choice on birthing position and birthing experience has been found.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine women's preferred birth position, self-efficacy at term and their actual birth position at time of birth.

Methods: A survey of 554 pregnant Danish women at gestational week 38. Data was collected using an online survey and information was retracted from the woman's medical record. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were used and univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyse the association between self-efficacy and fulfilled wish of birth position.

Findings: The majority of women (>70 %) wished to give birth in a sacrum flexible position but more than 80 % gave birth in a non-flexible position. Less than 50 % had their wish of birth position fulfilled. All women reported overall high self-efficacy. No difference in having wish for birth position fulfilled was found comparing women with high and low self-efficacy.

Conclusions: Most women wished for a sacrum flexible position but more than 80% gave birth in a sacrum non-flexible position and less than 50% had their wish for birth position fulfilled. Level of self-efficacy did not affect the likelihood of having wish of birth position fulfilled indicating that the culture at the birth setting and skills and attitudes among birth providers may have a considerable impact on women's choice of birth position.