Abstract
This study aimed to understand the significance of spirituality to Portuguese women who had a water birth. In-depth interviews, using a semi-structured questionnaire, were conducted with 24 women who experienced water birth at the hospital or home. Results were analyzed from a narrative interpretation perspective. Three spirituality-related categories emerged: (1) Beliefs and connections with the body; (2) Spirituality: integration of being a woman and transformation during birth; and (3) Spirituality as wisdom, intuition, or the sixth sense. Spirituality was perceived in women's faith and beliefs in a superior being that helped them manage the unpredictability and uncontrollability of giving birth.
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Appendix 1: Interview Guide for Women
Appendix 1: Interview Guide for Women
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da Costa Silveira de Camargo, J., dos Santos Oliveira Gama, F., Ochiai, A.M. et al. Spiritual Experiences of Portuguese Women Who had a Water Birth. J Relig Health 62, 3267–3284 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01826-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01826-3