Traumatic birth perception of women who experienced homebirth versus hospital birth: A case-control study from Türkiye

Abstract

Background There is little known about the maternal and fetal outcomes of planned homebirths versus hospital births in Türkiye. The place where women give birth has an impact on their postpartum experiences and maternal and fetal outcomes. Aim This study aimed to compare women who experienced homebirth and hospital birth in terms of traumatic birth perception levels. Methods An unmatched case-control study was conducted with 215 mothers, including 97 cases and 118 controls, in Istanbul province. Participants were asked to complete an online survey which includes a personal information form about childbirth and postpartum experiences, and the Traumatic Birth Perception Scale. The responses received from 215 participants in the case and control groups were subjected to statistical evaluation. The comparison between the categorical characteristics of the homebirth and hospital birth groups was made using a chi-square analysis, and the comparison between continuous variables was made with an independent groups analysis. Results The homebirth group perceived childbirth as less traumatic. The feeling of safety during birth was significantly higher in the homebirth group than in the hospital birth group. Conclusion Our results are consistent with high-quality evidence regarding the biomedical safety of home birth. Home could be an important place to decrease traumatic childbirth perception.