The Challenges and Achievements in the Implementation of the Natural Childbirth Instruction Program: A Qualitative Study

The natural childbirth instruction program, which aims to reduce the cesarean section (C‑section) rates in the country and pay attention to demographic policies, has achieved significant accomplishments in the short time span since it was implemented throughout the country. In the present study, the advantages and challenges of the implementation of this program have been analyzed.

This qualitative study carried out with the participation of 32 knowledgeable individuals who were selected using purposeful sampling and snowball sampling methods among the personnel of Kerman University of Medical Sciences, and it’s affiliated educational (university) hospital. The data were collected through semi‑structured interviews based on the research objectives, review of texts, and experts’ experiences. Data analysis was performed using content analysis method in MaxQDA software.

Data analysis provided the 5 main categories of implementation instructions’ strengths, implementation instructions’ defects, implementation instructions’ achievements, implementation instructions’ challenges and threats, and suggestions.

Accountability in the system that provides health care services for pregnant mothers in public hospitals has been created through the implementation of the natural childbirth promotion package. If managerial barriers and executive and legal inefficiencies are followed up and suitable measures are taken for solving the intra‑system conflicts, we can hope that the package, which has been one of the most serious efforts made by the Ministry of Health over the past decades to reduce cesarean delivery, will achieve significant accomplishments.