Attitudes of Women towards Birth Methods: Systematic Analysis of Studies Conducted in Turkey

World Health Organization has stated the ideal rate for Cesarean delivery (CD) to be between 10%
and 15% since 1985. Rates of CD have increased over time in Turkey. This review aimed to
determine women's attitudes towards birth methods studies in Turkey. This study was a systematic
review and was conducted by performing a scan of the Turkish and English literature between
November 2019 and December 2019. A literature search of Google Scholar, PubMed, National
Thesis Center and Dergipark databases were conducted. The keywords of “mode of delivery” and
“attitude” and “Turkey” were written to the databases. The study included 28 articles and four
dissertations. Factors effecting in choosing the methods of birth in women were fear of birth, advice of
a doctor, their own decisions, a recommendation of their spouse, their mothers and their close
relatives, previous negative birth experiences and religious reasons. Women preferred VD because it
was a healthy method for the mother and the baby, and the natural way of delivery and recovery was
fast and easy in the postpartum period. The reasons for choosing CD were the suggestion of doctor,
fear of labor pain, medical indications, request of tubal ligation, avoid of labor pain, being easy and
comfortable, determining the birth date of baby, fear of perineal laceration, being safe for the baby
and history of negative birth experiences. Almost half of the women with fear of birth preferred CD on
maternal request. Women said that a safe, easy and less painful method of delivery was CD. CD rate
in Turkey is quite high, so health care professionals should encourage women to prefer VD. They
should inform women about each mode of delivery’s advantages and disadvantages, and should
emphasize the importance of VD in terms of mother and baby during pregnancy monitoring and
antenatal period.