Introduction:

Mode of delivery is known to have a major impact on the health of women and neonates and should therefore be carefully considered. Moreover, expectations built during pregnancy influence the way pregnant women experience labor and delivery.

Materials and Methods:

Cross-sectional descriptive study conducted between February and August 2021 in a tertiary hospital in Portugal. Pregnant women from the the 30th week of gestation, with no contra-indication for vaginal delivery were included. A two-page multi-choice and short-answer questionnaire was handled, which included questions on sociodemographic characteristics, on delivery preferences and on reasons for those preferences.

Results:

303 of the 344 (88,1%) women included wished for a vaginal delivery. The main reason for preferring a vaginal delivery was “it is more natural” (80.2%), followed by “post-partum is easier and recovery is faster”. Regarding women with a preference for cesarean section, most of them believe that it is safer for the baby. The majority (66,7%) of women with a cesarean in the past would prefer a vaginal delivery in the current pregnancy.

Discussion:

Although safe, a cesarean comprises higher risks for maternal and neonatal health when compared to a vaginal delivery. Globally, most women prefer a vaginal delivery. The way women experience previous labors seems to influence the subsequent pregnancies.

Conclusion:

Most of the women in our sample preferred a vaginal delivery. However, 11,9% of pregnant women with no indication for a surgery would choose a cesarian section. The fact that many women consider that for the baby the cesarian is the safest mode of delivery should lead the clinicians to reflect and invest in transmitting precise information.

        · abstract in Portuguese     · text in English     · English ( pdf )