Spanish women’s perceptions of empowerment during the reproductive process

Abstract

Dissatisfaction among women and health professionals regarding the health care provided during the perinatal period has led to the development of another style of care, oriented towards encouraging and respecting the autonomy of women during the reproductive process, what has called ‘women’s empowerment’. The aim of this paper is to describe women’s perceptions of empowerment during the perinatal period and its relationship to the humanization of childbirth, individualized care, and a dignified treatment of their bodies. Study was carried with a descriptive qualitative exploratory methodology using six focus groups of between 5 and 8 participants (June 2020–June 2022). The groups were guided by a semi-structured questionnaire. Data analysis was performed according to the Taylor-Bodgan methodology. The number of participants was 39 (29 pregnant; the rest were less than 12 months postpartum). From the analysis of the data, nine categories arose: definition, benefits, harms, role of the midwife, relationship, essential aspects, knowledge, feelings, and improvements. As concluding remarks, participants perceive women’s empowerment in the perinatal period as something beneficial, although this is a term with which they are unfamiliar. They consider that the role of the midwife and the information received are fundamental elements in this empowerment. Finally, a close relationship is established between this term and others such as individualized care and the humanization of childbirth.