Paper short abstract:

This study aimed to investigate the experiences of women with risk of developing preeclampsia who have had an induced labour. The results show that labour induction is also performed routinely and that women often feel misinformed about their risk condition.

Paper long abstract:

The World Health Organization states that labour induction should have a maximum incidence of 10% of deliveries. However, in Spain the rate is around 30%. Labour induction is an intervention used to terminate pregnancies that for some medical reason put the mother and/or the baby at risk, as is the case with women who develop preeclampsia. The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of induced labour of people screened with risk of preeclampsia, an exam that is performed in the first trimester of pregnancy to analyse the probability of developing the disease. A seven-month fieldwork was conducted in the obstetric area of a hospital in Barcelona which included observations in consultations and delivery rooms, as well as semi-structured interviews with 16 women in the postpartum period. The results show that induction of labour is not only carried out on women who confirm the diagnosis of preeclampsia, but is also routinely performed on pregnancies that may present some kind of risk or difficulty. Women screened with risk of preeclampsia often feel misinformed about their risk condition and confused about medical decisions, which in most cases do not correspond to their expectations about childbirth decisions.

Key words: Reproductive health; Preeclampsia; Induction of Labour; Reproductive rights.