New Mothers’ Experiences of Agency During Prenatal and Delivery Care: Clinical Practice, Communication and Embodiment

: Health research suggests that personal agency plays a key role in health
experiences. In this qualitative analysis of the experiences of 40 recent mothers accessing healthcare services
from physicians and midwives, we found that agency is linked to democratic relationships that support women’s
access to and discussion of relevant health information. While most participants wanted to participate more
actively in their care, problematic physician-patient communication hampered their ability to exercise personal
agency. This was not true for midwives who have a model of practice that emphasizes education and choice.
Different understandings of embodiment affect the development of health care relationships. KEY WORDS:
Pregnancy, midwives, personal agency, social determinants of health, physician-patient communication,
qualitative health research, health care relationships.