Birthing experiences of Ghanaian women in 37th Military Hospital, Accra, Ghana

The purpose of the study was to explore the expectations of women relating to their labor and delivery needs at the 37th Military Hospital, in Ghana. Using a generic or non-categorical qualitative research design women who delivered at the 37th Military Hospital were interviewed. Data was collected by using semi-structured individual interviews. Emerging themes from the data were: the importance of environmental serenity in childbirth, the need to confirm true labor, being in control during labor, the importance of midwives, and childbirth as a sacred and euphoric journey. The findings revealed that not only were the environment serene and devoid of noise but the nurse-midwives were friendly and supportive for the women and were competent in diagnosing the progression of labor. The competencies and attributes that the nurse-midwives possessed at this hospital offered the women with an element of ownership regarding their laboring processes.