Subjective experience of women with childbirth in hospitals after COVID-19 outbreak: Insights from Babies Born Better survey

After COVID-19 outbreak, there has been changes in maternity care suggesting that childbirth experience was also change. This study thus investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on childbirth experiences in Slovak hospitals, focusing on womens perspectives to childbirth experience. Utilizing data from the Babies Born Better survey, we analyzed responses from 810 women who gave birth in Slovakia between March 2020 and June 2022. Via inductive content analysis we identified 4 main themes: Compassionate and Supportive Care, Medical Expertise and Care, Autonomy and Empowerment, and External Conditions. Our research has provided further evidence of the multifaceted nature of childbirth experience. The childbirth experience in a period of general adversity (such as pandemics) may have not been captured in this research or it may not significantly differ from periods of non-adversity. What is important for women remain unchanged - compassionate and supportive care from healthcare providers. Based on our findings we propose improvements in maternal healthcare during childbirth. These improvements aim not only to improve wome[n]s childbirth experience but also foster better healthcare outcomes for professionals and hospitals.