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What do Expectant Mothers Want?: A Preliminary Report on Consumer Demand for Obstetric Services
Author(s) -
Skuja E.,
Grudzinskas J. G.,
Skuja K.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1479-828X
pISSN - 0004-8666
DOI - 10.1111/j.1479-828x.1982.tb01446.x
Subject(s) - childbirth , on demand , consumer demand , medicine , intervention (counseling) , sample (material) , nursing , family medicine , business , pregnancy , economics , genetics , commerce , biology , market economy , chemistry , chromatography
Summary: A sample of 150 expectant mothers participated in pilot work for a large scale survey designed to identify and explain factors governing consumer demand for obstetric services in Australia. Preliminary findings indicated demand was greatest for practices which foster postnatal involvement with the newborn; medical intervention was in least demand and respondents were relatively indifferent to delivery room innovations characteristic of Leboyer births. A factual knowledge of childbirth, rather than childbirth experience (parity), explained a substantial proportion of the variation in consumer demand. Results suggested that expectant mothers' needs are not consistent with the attitudes toward maternity care expressed by obstetricians and their critics in much of the current literature.