Development of a tailored intervention to promote normal vaginal delivery among primigravida women: a formative study

Purpose of Investigation: This study aimed to develop a tailored intervention to promote normal vaginal delivery among primigravida. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional formative research was done in Boyer-Ahmad County, Iran. Qualitative data were collected through individual in-depth interviews with healthcare providers and focus group discussions with primigravida women. Quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behavior among all primigravida women. Results: The most important barriers of normal vaginal delivery were: unpleasant delivery in maternity, fear of child birth, others’ recommendations, and negative experiences of referring to maternity services. The interventions recommended for increasing normal vaginal delivery were: education, counseling services, and making the process of normal vaginal delivery more pleasant. The authors found that 44.3% of urban women and 9.4% among the rural women intended to undergo cesarean section (CS). Attitude, subjective norms, place of residence, and the spouse’s job were the main predictors of selecting the types of birth. Conclusion: The main elements of the tailored intervention were: target audiences’ education, telephone counseling services, and brief interventions.