Exploring the Lived Experience of Women Receiving Antenatal, Intrapartum, and Immediate Postnatal Care: The Essence of Being with the Midwives.

Abstract

Background: Midwives have essential roles in shaping policies, advancing practice, and ensuring women-centered education that leads to positive maternal and neonatal outcomes. In Qatar, healthcare systems integrated midwifery-led services to increase the workforce supporting women, but no studies have examined women's experiences with midwives. Thus, this study explores women's lived experiences of midwifery care in Qatar to identify its impact and areas for improvement.

Materials and methods: A qualitative descriptive-phenomenological design was used. Twelve women who received perinatal care from midwives were purposively recruited from midwifery-led services at a tertiary maternity facility in Doha, Qatar. After discharge, interviews were conducted via Zoom from January to June 2022 using a semi-structured guide. Audio recordings were transcribed and analyzed using Colaizzi's method to identify key themes. The essence of the lived experience was derived through phenomenological reduction and theme integration.

Results: Five themes and nine subthemes emerged: midwives' presence and support; midwives' care and comfort; learning from midwives; developing authentic partnerships; and changing perspectives on perinatal care. The essence of "being with midwives" transformed women's experiences toward perinatal care. This transformation empowered women, encouraged positive physiologic childbirth experiences, and reinforced the need to expand midwifery services in Qatar.

Conclusions: Being with midwives shapes women's perinatal experiences and transforms perceptions about midwifery and obstetric care. Their compassionate approach builds trust and strong partnerships. Narratives suggested expanding services, increasing recruitment, and refining the midwifery care model in Qatar to enhance maternal healthcare.