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Childbirth expectations and experiences in Belgian and Dutch models of maternity care

Belgian and the Dutch societies show many similarities but differ with regard to the organisation of maternity care. The Dutch way of giving birth is well‐known for its high percentage of home births and its low medical intervention rate. In contrast, home births in Belgium are uncommon and the medical model is taken for granted. We expect that diverging models of maternity care give rise to different patterns of expectations and experiences. This quantitative comparative study took place in Belgian and Dutch hospitals and independent midwifery practices. Two questionnaires were completed by 611 women, one at 30 weeks of pregnancy and one within the first 2 weeks after childbirth, at home or in a hospital. Expectations about childbirth and the experience of childbirth have been assessed with the Wijma delivery expectancy/experience questionnaire enabling repeated measurement. A linear mixed model, with three fixed factors (time, country and place of birth), shows that expectations and experiences diverge. Dutch women have more negative expectations and experiences compared to Belgian women. Women who had a home birth had only slightly more optimistic expectations compared to women who had a hospital birth, but they rated their experiences as more positive.