Explaining the Childbirth Experience with the Support of a Doula in an Iranian Setting: A Qualitative Study

ntroduction: An expectant mother’s experience of normal vaginal delivery significantly impacts her health. One of the determinants of a positive experience is to enjoy constant support during labor. Objective: This study was conducted to understand the mother’s childbirth experience with the support of a doula during labor and delivery. Materials and Methods: This research was a qualitative study with a content analysis approach. A total of 16 pregnant women that gave birth with the assistance of doulas in a hospital in Zanjan City, Iran, were included in this qualitative study with a content analysis approach. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants in 2019. The study data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with mothers, then transcribed and coded. All interviews were conducted in one session, so 16 interviews were obtained. Data analysis was done using the method proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. Results: The participants were 18-35 years old (27.5±6.7 years). Three women had a primary school education, 7 had a high school diploma, and 6 had a university education. Four women were employed, and the rest were homemakers. After data analysis, 4 main categories and 8 subcategories were extracted. Main categories and subcategories include comprehensive support (physical support, mental support), assisting in materializing the motherhood dream (inducing calm in the mother, being released from pain and suffering), internal reinforcement (self-esteem, pain acceptance), and mother-centered care (doula as a different supportive, bidirectional relationship). Conclusion: Pregnant mothers’ satisfaction with delivery is affected by their experience. According to the results, all mothers were satisfied with doula support during delivery. The doula’s presence made childbirth a positive and satisfactory experience. The doula guided mothers from fear, pain, and ignorance to happiness and satisfaction. It is necessary to familiarize expectant mothers with the doula and the services they provide and facilitate their presence in labor and delivery rooms.