The article that I found is a primary literature source from a peer-reviewed journal called Birth. The article is called “Childbirth Education Class and Birth Plans are Associated with a Vaginal Delivery” by Yalda Afshar, Erica T. Wang, Jenny Mei, Tania F. Esakoff, Margareta D. Pisarska, and Kimberly D. Gregory. 

The general topic of the study was method of childbirth, and the question was asking if childbirth education classes and/or having a birth plan have an impact on child-delivery method. The type of data needed for this study was shallow opinions and it was gathered with brief interviews asking if the women had a childbirth delivery plan and/or if they had attended educational classes about childbirth. Then, with the consent of the women involved, the researchers recorded if the women had a vaginal delivery or caesarean. The data was analyzed with a regression analysis, chi-squares, and analyses of variance. 

The study was done at a hospital that the authors worked at during the time of the study. The women in the study were put into the following categories: women who went to childbirth education classes, women who had a childbirth plan, and women who had not attended the classes and who did not have a plan. There was also a control group for the study. 

I think that the study introduced some helpful information, and it was really interesting. However, I think it would be beneficial to do another study where the members have deeper interviews in order to understand the true impact of childbirth education classes on their decision to give birth vaginally. I guess that’s what my research is supposed to do! I definitely think that this research will be helpful in my research design process. 

Citation: Afshar, Y., Wang, E., Mei, J., Esakoff, T., Pisarska, M. and Gregory, K. (2016). Childbirth Education Class and Birth Plans Are Associated with a Vaginal Delivery. Birth, 44(1), pp.29-34.