Beliefs and perceptions of childbearing women choosing different primary health care providers.

The beliefs and perceptions of 60 low-risk childbearing women (n = 60) who had either nurse midwives or obstetricians as health care providers are identified in this descriptive phenomenological study. Interviews were conducted following childbirth, and participants completed the Utah Test for the Childbearing Year, which measures beliefs and perceptions about childbearing. There were no significant demographic differences, or significant differences in fear of childbirth, between groups of women having different providers. Mothers with physician caregivers had significantly higher rates of epidural anesthesia for pain management, higher levels of reliance on others, and less active participation in childbirth care decisions. Mothers with certified nurse midwives as caregivers participated more actively in childbirth care decisions and emphasized the quality of the birth experience. In this sample, differences in the beliefs and perceptions of women choosing different health care providers are identified. The importance of a philosophical fit with care providers and availability of options that are congruent with the individualized needs of childbearing women is evident from the study findings.