Responding to emergency cesareans: How do social responses influence psychological well-being

Abstract

Many women who have emergency cesarean births appraise their births negatively or even as ‘traumatic.” While other women who have them appraise their birth experience quite positively. The researcher set out to investigate possible explanations for the variance in appraisals and experiences. A specific aim of the study was to determine what type of relationship exists between the types of social responses women are provided and their postpartum psychological state. Women’s responses to an emergency cesarean birth were observed. The types of negative and positive social responses they received from social actors, and their responses to them were also investigated. Semi-structured response-based interviews were conducted with six participants. Both a thematic analysis and a contextual case study analysis were used. A thematic analysis was used to identify the types of social responses women received, and then a response-based contextual analysis research framework, was used to conduct a case study analysis. The main types of social responses to the participants were identified as being (or not) emotionally supportive, supportive of agency, and supported of recovery. The majority of the participants appraised their birth experience positively. Analysis of the findings found an association between receiving positive social responses and postpartum psychological wellbeing. A connection between negative social responses and women’s responses of resistance was also identified. The findings suggest that women’s experience of having an emergency cesarean birth are connected to a complex web of social interactions. .