Factors Influencing Preferred Delivery Methods among Nulliparous Pregnant Women
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Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate how knowledge on delivery methods, attitude toward delivery methods, childbirth self-efficacy, and recommendations from influential people or channels influence preferred delivery methods among nulliparous pregnant women.
Design: A cross-sectional research design.
Methods: The subjects consisted of 341 nulliparous pregnant women with a singleton pregnancy and gestational age ≥32 weeks who received antenatal care at Siriraj hospital. Data were collected using questionnaires on personal information, knowledge of delivery methods, attitude toward delivery methods, childbirth self-efficacy, recommendations from other sources, and preferred delivery methods; data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. Variables were selected into the model using forward stepwise selection.
Main findings: Attitudes towards delivery methods and recommendations from doctors, husbands, pregnant women's mothers, and relatives significantly predict preferred delivery methods among nulliparous pregnant women (p < .05). These factors collectively predicted the preferred mode of delivery among nulliparous pregnant women with an accuracy of 64% (Nagelkerke R² = .64).
Conclusion and recommendations: Attitudes towards delivery methods, as well as the influence of key individuals such as doctors, the pregnant woman's mother, husband, and relatives, affect the preferred mode of delivery among nulliparous pregnant women. There should be activities to encourage pregnant women to have a good attitude towards vaginal delivery to help promote vaginal delivery. Doctors and nurses should provide knowledge about the advantages and disadvantages of delivery methods for nulliparous pregnant women and Influential persons for nulliparous pregnant women.
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