What to Expect in the Design of Labor Rooms: A Mixed-Method Study

To examine the environmental aspects in labor and delivery rooms (LDRs) in Saudi Arabia according to mothers’ points of view, especially with the recent increased numbers of C-section deliveries. A mixed-method study based on a survey and open-ended questions analysis and comparison between the findings in two samples. Mothers who experienced labor and delivery in Saudi hospitals during the last five years participated in the study. The survey was distributed via email and text message to participating mothers, and 236 surveys were completed by participants. Based on analysis of the qualitative data, several factors were highlighted Psychological aspects (39.74%), Caregiver attitude (15.89%), Space Layout and Furniture arrangement (12.58%). Importantly, from the quantitative analysis, the study finds that during COVID-9, there was an increase on the mother’s perception of the importance of the labor environment comparing to Pre-Covid-19 period. The needs of mothers in Saudi were similar to those in the UK sample, except for these aspects were important to Saudi women but not those in the UK: spiritual support, psychological support and policies. Therefore, designing labor and delivery settings should consider these cultural differences.Funding: his research received no external funding. The APC was funded by Prince Sultan University.Declaration of Interest: None to declare. Ethical Approval: This study was approved by PSU Institutional Review Board (PSU IRB) - PSU IRB-2018-10-002.