SynthesisBMC pregnancy and childbirth2025
Prevalence of negative birth experience: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- Factors Associated with Perceptions of Maternal Control and Support During Childbirth and Relationship with Childbirth Satisfaction Among Women in Spain.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Article
- Effects of Watson's Human Caring Theory-based nursing care on fear of childbirth and birth experience: a randomized controlled trial.BMC nursing · 2026Article
- Slipping through the net: a qualitative study exploring women's experiences of maternity in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Childbirth experience and its relationship with postpartum depression and anxiety: a cross-sectional study from Gaza.Reproductive health · 2026Article
- Article
- Birth experience and early postpartum outcomes: A cross-sectional study of mother-infant bonding, breastfeeding self-efficacy, and depressive symptoms.European journal of midwifery · 2026Article
- Turkish Validity and Reliability Study of the Short Version of the Questionnaire for Assessing the Childbirth Experience (QACE).Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Comparison of Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength in Women With Vaginal Delivery and Caesarean Section After 1-3 Years:Sultan Qaboos University medical journal · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe overall experience women gain from the childbirth process is a significant outcome that is highly complex, subjective, and based on personal judgment. Cultural, social, and environmental contexts and societal policies can also influence it. The present systematic study and meta-analysis aim to conduct a comprehensive review to estimate the prevalence of negative childbirth experiences.
methodsPublished observational studies were reviewed without any time restrictions to conduct this systematic review. Relevant material was searched thoroughly in the PubMed/Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, and Google Scholar databases. Two authors independently evaluated the studies' quality using a modified Joanna Briggs checklists (JBI) version. Cochran's Q and I² tests were used to assess the heterogeneity of the studies. R software was used for the meta-analysis.
resultsThe study was based on a review of 19 observational studies published between 2001 and 2024 that examined the prevalence of negative childbirth experiences. The total sample size of the included studies was 73,353 women. Meta-analytic pooling of the prevalence of negative childbirth was 16% (95% CI: 10-22%). The evaluation of publication bias suggested a very strong likelihood of a small study effect due to the meta-analysis.
conclusionsBased on our study, the overall prevalence of negative childbirth experiences was calculated to be 16%. However, considering the short-term and long-term effects of this experience on various aspects of women's lives, greater attention should be paid to making pregnancy and childbirth more pleasant and to interventions to improve women's childbirth experiences.
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