Prevalence of negative birth experience: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract

Introduction: The 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.

Methods: Published 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.

Results: The 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.

Conclusions: Based 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.