Midwives, Midwifery Students and Mothers Views Concerning Home Birth.

Abstract

Abstract: Background: The ministry of Health and Medical Education has assigned the course of Home birth in the curricula of midwifery educational programs in order to improve care of mothers during childbearing. However the rate of planned home birth at rural area of East- Azerbaijan has been 22/9% and in the urban region gas not been known. Therefore, this study has been conducted to determine the views of midwives, midwifery students, pregnant and new parturient women concerning home birth. Material and Method: This is a descriptive comparative study which determined the views of 721 subjects, included 91 midwives occupied in Medical Health Centers. 80 midwifery students who passed home birth course, 550pregnant or new parturient women registered in health care and had record in Medical Health Centers. Total population of midwives and midwifery students were chosen as samples and women were selected through cluster sampling. A questionnaire was used for data gathering. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (chi square and Fisher Test) were used for data analysis. Results: The study showed that 54/6% of midwives, 65/8% of midwifery students and 13/7% of women agreed with home as a suitable place for confinement. The majority of subjects believed that giving birth in hospital was safer than at home. The comparison of three groups on the advantage and disadvantage of home birth showed statistically significant difference in 16 statements (15 statements with p<0/0001 and 1 statement with p<0/005) and no significant difference in 1 statement (p>0/05) of questionnaire. Conclusion: Based upon the results of this study it can be concluded that further information is necessary for women to make a free and informed choice of birth place. Therefore. Midwives and midwifery students should be knowledgeable about home birth. Besides, Health Minister Should be encouraged for informed choice of birth place and midwives will have a new occupational opportunity. Keywords: Home birth, view