1 research outputs found
Experiences of water immersion during childbirth: a qualitative thematic synthesis
Background The increasing demand for childbirth care based on physiological principles has led official bodies to
encourage health centers to provide evidence‑based care aimed at promoting women’s participation in informed
decision‑making and avoiding excessive medical intervention during childbirth. One of the goals is to reduce pain
and find alternative measures to epidural anesthesia to enhance women’s autonomy and well‑being during child‑
birth. Currently, water immersion is used as a non‑pharmacological method for pain relief.
This review aimed to identify and synthesize evidence on women’s and midwives’ experiences, values, and prefer‑
ences regarding water immersion during childbirth.
Methods A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative evidence were conducted. Databases were
searched and references were checked according to specific criteria. Studies that used qualitative data collection and
analysis methods to examine the opinions of women or midwives in the hospital setting were included. Non‑qualita‑
tive studies, mixed‑methods studies that did not separately report qualitative results, and studies in languages other
than English or Spanish were excluded. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program Qualitative Research Checklist was used to
assess study quality, and results were synthesized using thematic synthesis.
Results Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The qualitative studies yielded
three key themes: 1) reasons identified by women and midwives for choosing a water birth, 2) benefits experienced in
water births, and 3) barriers and facilitators of water immersion during childbirth.
Conclusions The evidence from qualitative studies indicates that women report benefits associated with water birth.
From the perspective of midwives, ensuring safe water births requires adequate resources, midwives training, and rig‑
orous standardized protocols to ensure that all pregnant women can safely opt for water immersion during childbirth
with satisfactory results