19-11-2023 | Anxiety | Brief Report
“We hear and we fear” – Insights of 1203 Women on Personnel Conversations During Cesarean Delivery
Published in: Maternal and Child Health Journal
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Objective
To assess the preferences of women undergoing cesarean delivery regarding intraoperative conversations among healthcare personnel.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted by distribution of an open anonymous questionnaire on social media platforms during March 2022, targeting respondents with a history of cesarean delivery. The primary outcome was patients’ experience of “being disturbed by professional and casual conversations of the personnel”, rated on a 1–5 Likert scale.
Results
1203 participants completed the questionnaire, with 97.6% reporting intraoperative conversations among personnel. Casual conversations were perceived as “disturbing” by more respondents vs. professional talk (33.4% vs. 27.6%, respectively, p = 0.0077). Logistic regression analysis revealed associations between feeling disturbed and higher intraoperative stress and pain – adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) 3.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1–4.5, and OR 2.7, 95%CI 1.8–4.0, respectively, for professional conversations; OR 3.0, 95%CI 2.0–4.4, and OR 1.7, 95%CI 1.1–2.7, respectively, for casual conversations. Feeling disturbed by professional conversations was also associated with urgent vs. elective operations (OR 2.0, 95%CI 1.4-3.0). Direct personnel-patient communication was associated with significantly lower stress levels (60.8% vs. 72.5% in the remaining cohort, p < 0.001).
Discussion
Intraoperative conversations of the personnel occur during vast majority of cesarean deliveries. Given that a substantial proportion of patients find these conversations disturbing, it is advisable to conduct a preliminary assessment of maternal preferences. This proactive step can help tailor communication strategies to individual patient comfort and preferences, ultimately enhancing the birthing experience and maternal well-being.