Women's experiences of exercising informed choices as expressed through their sense of self and relationships with others in Ireland: A participatory action research study

Abstract

Objective: To explore women's experiences of the concept of informed choice during pregnancy and childbirth.

Methods: A three-phase action research approach. In the second phase of the study (reported in this paper), 15 women were interviewed to establish their experiences of informed choice.

Setting: Dublin, Ireland in a large maternity hospital.

Findings: We found that multiple factors influence how women experience informed choice including; their sense of self and the quality of their relationships with maternity care professionals. Women's experiences as expressed through their sense of self reveal that informed choice, is not only defined by but contingent on the quality of women's relationships with their caregiver and their ability to engage in a process of shared decision-making with them.

Key conclusions: Informed choice is experienced as a relational construct women's relationships with maternity care professionals can influence their perceptions of their sense of self following childbirth. Supportive relationships are key to supporting the concept of informed choice.

Keywords: Choice; Informed choice; Midwifery; Relational decisionmaking; Sense of self.