Spirituality in childbearing women.

Childbearing is the ideal context within which to enrich spirituality. The purpose of this study was to generate themes regarding spirituality and religiosity among culturally diverse childbearing women. A secondary analysis was performed, using existing narrative data from cross-cultural studies of childbearing women. The following themes emerged from the data: childbirth as a time to grow closer to God, the use of religious beliefs and rituals as powerful coping mechanisms, childbirth as a time to make religiosity more meaningful, the significance of a Higher Power in influencing birth outcomes, and childbirth as a spiritually transforming experience. In clinical settings, understanding the spiritual dimensions of childbirth is essential. Assessments of childbearing women may include the question, "Do you have any spiritual beliefs that will help us better care for you?"