Primiparas’ Expectations of Childbirth: The Impact of Consciousness

: This qualitative study was designed to explore the childbirth expectations of
primiparas’ (women pregnant for the first time) in light of current scientific understandings of consciousness. Indepth before-and-after-birth interviews were conducted. Explicit expectations were compared with implicit
expectations portrayed through drawings of an ideal birth (a projective technique) rendered during the first
interview. Participants experienced outcomes that differed from their conscious expectations. Indications of their
unconscious expectations were evident in both their dialogues and drawings. It could be deduced that these
women experienced what they unconsciously expected. Although phenomenology served as the model for data
collection, feminist theory, art interpretation, prenatal and perinatal psychology, consciousness studies, and
quantum physics each contributed to interpretation of the data. The implications for expanding the awareness of
consciousness into the realms of pregnancy and childbirth are far-reaching, potentially enhancing the lives of
mothers and babies while improving the quality of education and services designed to reach this vital and
vulnerable population. KEY WORDS: Primiparas, expectations, childbirth, consciousness, phenomenology, art
interpretation, feminist theory, prenatal and perinatal psychology.