Illuminating birth: exploring the impact of birthing environment lighting on labor.

Introduction: Numerous factors influence the birth experience and outcomes, both positively and negatively. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the birth room environment and light condition during birth and their effects on birth method, perineal health, and birth experience. Method: A longitudinal cohort study was conducted in a medical center in Northern Israel. Participants completed self-report questionnaires during the third trimester of their pregnancy and again 72 h post-birth (T1 and T2, Results: Our study demonstrated a significant positive correlation between birth type and birth room light conditions. Vaginal births predominantly occured under dim light (86.36% vs. 68.3%). Moreover, a negative correlation was observed between perineal tears and dim light levels ( Discussion: Dim light was correlated with higher rates of vaginal birth, fewer perineal tears, and enhanced maternal immersion during birth. Although promising, these associations are correlational and require further exploration. Our findings suggest that the birth room is not merely a physical setting but a dynamic environment where sensory cues and psychological states interact.