Cesarean Birth Stories

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to better understand the
impact and implications of a cesarean birth on later adult behavior patterns. A written
survey was designed using Dr. William R. Emerson’s questionnaire The Evaluation of
Obstetrical Trauma: A Questionnaire (1997). Forty statements were developed to
represent behaviors believed to relate to birth via cesarean section. Four cesarean-born
women participated in the study. Each completed the questionnaire and was
interviewed by telephone about the statements she thought best applied to her
experience. Three themes emerged: (a) interruption, (b) motivation to achieve, and (c)
offering help even when it is not requested. This study supports research suggesting
that (a) people remember birth implicitly and (b) persons born by c-section share
attitudes, behaviors, and other characteristics.
KEY WORDS: Cesarean birth, birth trauma, birth patterns