Emergency cesarean section: 25 women's experiences

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility to categorize women's experiences of emergency cesarean section based on the patterns displayed in their narration of the event, and to describe, if possible, typical features of those categories. Twenty-five consecutive women were interviewed a few days and 1-2 months after emergency cesarean section. The narratives of the women were recorded according to a time-spatial model from disaster psychiatry. The occurrence of a traumatic delivery experience and of posttraumatic intrusive stress reactions 6 weeks postpartum in the various categories was assessed. The narratives of the 25 women can be categorized as follows: Pattern 1 - confidence whatever happens (n=5); Pattern 2 - positive expectations turning into disappointment (n=7); Pattern 3 - fears that come true (n=9); and Pattern 4 - confusion and amnesia (n=4). In the second and third groups all women had experienced the delivery as traumatic. The women in the second group had the highest prevalence of posttraumatic intrusive stress reactions 6 weeks after the emergency cesarean section.