Opinion and suggestions of midwives working in delivery room about birth care in İzmir

Objective: In this study, which consists of two sections as qualitative phenomological type and quantitative cross-sectional descriptive. İt was aimed to evaluate the opinions and suggestions of midwives working in delivery room about birth care. Method: In the quantitative part of the study, 162 midwives working in delivery room of health institutions providing birth services in İzmir province were included. In the qualitative section, 21 midwives who were determined using criterion sampling and maximum diversity sampling were interviewed individually through a semi-structured interview form. Quantitative data was analyzed in SPSS. The data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires through individual in-depth interviews. Voice recordings of the interviews were transcribed into text and then analyzed with MaxQda 2018 qualitative data analysis program. A coding paradigm of grounded theory and the coding paradigm of Straus and Corbin were used in the qualitative data analysis. Results: Quantitative data showed that almost all midwives agreed these expressions; "Obstetricians are effective in the decision process of the pregnant women about the way of delivery" (91.4%), normal delivery should be preferred because cesarean section is an operation"(92.0%), "The human body is suitable for normal birth and in the absence of a medical necessity, caesarean section is not necessary" (94.4%). Seven main themes were designated based on the analysis of the qualitative data obtained from women: 1) Advantages and disadvantages of delivery methods, 2) Health personel's approach to birth, 3) Women's approach to birth and preferences 4) Health institutions approach and problems related to health system, 5) Problems related to midwifery profession, 6) Birth preparedness educations, 7) Suggestions for improving maternity services. Conclusion: As a result of the research, it was seen that midwives have positive perceptions of normal birth, midwives play an important role in maintaining normal birth, but they are faced with multifactorial obstacles in fulfilling these roles fully. One of these obstacles is related to the current status, employment and personal rights of the midwifery profession. Other reasons are related to women's perception of childbirth and insufficient preparation for birth, approaches of birth of health institutions and health workers to birth and health system.