The birth experience in Brazil

• Grant number: 24/22656-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: November 01, 2025
• End date: October 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Carmen Simone Grilo Diniz
• Grantee: Carmen Simone Grilo Diniz
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: São Paulo
• Associated researchers: Cristiane da Silva Cabral ; DAPHNE RATTNER ; Sonia Lansky

Abstract

Introduction: Maternal health indicators have improved significantly in Brazil, and birth by a trained professional is virtually universal. However, some paradoxes remain, such as the excessive, often unnecessary, interventions in vaginal birth care that harm the birth experience and increase the risk of complications, contributing to high cesarean section rates. Recognizing this problem, improving the "birth experience" is an emerging focus of research and action, with the creation of protocols and guidelines by institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO). Objective: To describe and analyze the birth experience in Brazil, in the public and private sectors, from the perspective of women, comparing it with current WHO recommendations. Methods: This research is guided by the perspectives of reproductive justice and intersectionality, and will use mixed methods. The quantitative approach will consist of a nationwide web survey on positive and negative birth experiences in Brazil, based on the International Birth Experience Study (IC.BESt) Consortium, using Qualtrics software. Organized groups of users will contribute to the cross-cultural adaptation of scales on autonomy, respect and abuse, and to the collaborative creation and analysis of Brazilian results. The qualitative stage will analyze the audio-narratives, exploring themes specific to Brazil, such as differences in the public and private sectors, and the experiences of specific groups: black, brown and indigenous women; overweight women, with medical complications; and trans men. The two stages will allow comparison with countries in the IC-BESt (including 14 countries on 5 continents). (AU)