Comparing the Experiences of Parturient Women With Remifentanil Analgesia and Elective Cesarean Section and Providing Improver Strategies: A Sequential Explanatory Mixed Method Study Protocol

Women’s experience during childbirth can affect various aspects (psychological and physical), which has not yet been done accurately. The current study aimed to compare experiences of parturient women with remifentanil analgesia and elective cesarean section (C-section) and provide improver strategies for women living in Tabriz, Iran.

This is a mixed-method study with an explanatory sequential approach. The first stage is quantitative and longitudinal. Participants will be divided into two groups of elective C-sections and parturient women who receive remifentanil. They will be matched concerning social class, type of provider, and birth rank. In the first stage, data will be collected using a socio-demographic questionnaire, Edinburgh’s Depression during pregnancy questionnaire, Labor Agentry Scale, and midwifery-neonatal outcomes checklist within 24 hours after delivery. Participants will be followed up to 30 days after delivery to complete the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression questionnaire. The second stage is a qualitative study to explain the perceptions of parturient women who had either elective C-section or painless delivery (using remifentanil), including factors related to labor experiences. In the third stage, a mixed study will be performed to provide strategies for improving labor experiences.

Women’s experiences during cesarean section can have different effects on maternal and neonatal outcomes; Following the use of two methods of continuous analgesia with remifentanil and spinal anesthesia and analgesia caused by these methods in cesarean section, women’s experiences may be different; The protocol presented in this study is a clinical guide to present this important issue (experiences of women during cesarean section looking for an appropriate method of analgesia)