Mother’s Perception on Childbirth: Cesarean Section vs Normal Birth

Background: Cesarean section has increased from year to year. The 2018 Indonesia Basic Health Research found that the percentage of cesarean deliveries was 17.6% of 78.736 deliveries. It has almost twice from the 2013 Indonesia Basic Health Research of 9.8%. Various reasons were given by mothers for choosing cesarean section.

Aims: To explore differences in mothers' perceptions of cesarean section and normal birth. Here clearly write the aims of this study.

Study Design: This study used a comparative study.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in Simalungun Regency (North Sumatera, Indonesia) between July and September 2022.

Methodology: We conducted on 106 women after 24 hours of labor (normal labor and cesarean section). Sampling was done by consecutive sampling. Data were collected using the Perception of Birth Scale/PBS questionnaire (29 questions) with a Likert scale of 1-5 and the Labor Agentry Scale/LAS (10 questions) with a Likert scale of 1-7 that had been translated and validated. Statistical test using Mann-Whitney U.

Results: The mean PBS scores in the normal labor vs cesarean section group were 105.68 ± 10.95 and 109.09 ± 8.79 (p=0.026). The mean LAS score in the normal labor vs cesarean section group was 34.57 ± 5.27 vs 31.51 ± 4.37 (P value 0.000).

Conclusion: Mothers who gave birth by cesarean section had a positive perception. Mothers who gave birth normally had high birth control. Education and information about the risks of the cesarean section should be promoted and mothers are supported to give birth naturally.