Birth narratives: motivations, challenges, and experiences

The increasing use of medical interventions is impacting women's birth experiences and lives. It is important to gain a deeper understanding of how this issue is shaping women's choice of birth setting and process. This study investigated women's stories of birthing experiences in three different settings: the hospital, the birthing center, and at home. Qualitative interview techniques allowed for an opportunity to look inside the lives of 33 women in Texas and Oklahoma, to explore their motivations, experiences, and challenges during the process of making decisions about giving birth. Feminist theory, as well as the concepts of McDonaldization, medical gaze, and authoritative knowledge, enhanced further understanding of the problem.