Mothers' reports of their maternity experiences in the USA and Canada*

This study compares results from national surveys of maternity care in the US and Canada. The US Listening to Mothers II survey (n = 1573) was based on a combined online and telephone sample of mothers who gave birth in 2005 while the Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey (n = 6421) was a national random stratified sample drawn from the Canadian Census focusing primarily on births from early 2006. Mothers reported experience with the medical model of birth including ultrasound use (29% of mothers reported 4 or more ultrasounds in Canada; 37% 4+ in US), attempted induction in vaginal birth (45% Canada; 49% US); epidural use in vaginal birth (57% in Canada; 71% in US); supine birth position in vaginal birth (48% Canada; 57% US); episiotomy (21% Canada; 25% US) and cesarean section (26% Canada; 32% US). US mothers consistently reported higher levels of intervention while Canadian mothers reported greater use of drug‐free pain relief methods. Canadian mothers reported high levels of overall satisfaction with their care (Canada – 54% very positive, 26% somewhat positive). US mothers rated the US maternity care system positively – 35% excellent, 48% good. Both surveys reveal the value of incorporating mothers' views into evaluation of maternity care systems.