Now available from Childbirth Connection, Listening to Mothers II: Second National Survey of Women's Childbearing Experiences.  Request the press release here.

Among the highlights reported at Market Wire:

"The national survey polled 1,573 women who gave birth in 2005 and found that most mothers experienced numerous labor and birth interventions with various degrees of risk that may be of benefit for mothers with specific conditions, but are inappropriate as routine measures."

"Among all survey mothers whose providers tried to start their labors, 79% cited one or more medical reasons for being induced, while 35% cited one or more non-medical reasons. Overall, 11% of mothers reported experiencing pressure from a health professional to have labor induction, and those reporting pressure were more likely to have had it."

“The data show many mothers and babies experienced inappropriate care that does not reflect the best evidence, as well as other undesirable circumstances and adverse outcomes. This sounds alarm bells,” said Maureen Corry, executive director of Childbirth Connection. “Few healthy, low-risk mothers require technology-intensive care when given good support for physiologic labor. Yet, the survey shows that the typical childbirth experience has been transformed into a morass of wires, tubes, machines and medications that leave healthy women immobilized, vulnerable to high levels of surgery and burdened with physical and emotional health concerns while caring for their newborns.”

Survey Reveals Gaps Between Actual and More Optimal Experiences and Outcomes


"Listening to Mothers II identified many gaps between their experiences, their desires and best medical practice. For example:
· Within this largely healthy population, four labors in ten were started artificially and one mother in three had a cesarean.
· A great majority (85%) felt that a woman who wants a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) should be able to make that decision, but most women who were interested in a VBAC were denied this option by their caregiver (45%) or hospital (23%).
· Virtually all of the mothers asked felt that they should be informed about all (78% and 81%) or most (19% and 17%) of the complications related to labor induction and cesarean, respectively, before deciding to have these interventions, yet the majority of mothers were poorly informed about several complications of labor induction and cesarean section and most had incorrect knowledge or were not sure.
· Among the vaginal birth mothers who experienced episiotomies (25%), only 18% stated that they had been given a choice about it."


Listening to Mothers II was conducted in January and February 2006. It provides health professionals, payors, policymakers, hospitals and women and families with an unprecedented look at experiences of childbearing women and their infants. It also gives all of these groups a basis for improving conditions for mothers and babies by comparing their actual experiences to their preferred experiences, to care to which they are legally entitled, to care supported by best evidence, and to optimal outcomes.