Psychosocial Determinants of Home Birth Choice and Experience in Croatia – A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Despite recommendations from the World Health Organisation regarding the implementation of practices that encourage physio logical childbirth, active management of labour involving routine interventions still predominates in Croatian hospitals. Therefore, some women choose a home birth. This research aimed to under stand women's motivation for choosing home birth and the experi ences with home birth in Croatia. Thirteen mothers took part in semi-structured qualitative interviews about home births. The results showed that women opt for home birth due to dissatisfaction with the healthcare provided in hospitals, the advantages of home birth, and because they intuitively believed it was the right decision. Experiences of home birth were positive– women emphasised trust in their own bodies, satisfaction with holistic care from midwives and doulas, pleasant emotions, the spiritual dimension of natural birth, and the integration of childbirth into everyday life. The study also described the community support women received, the stigma tisation of home birth in society, and the need for improvements in childbirth care in Croatia.