the power of words: How communication from gynaecologists and midwives affects experience pregnancy childbirth

Pregnancy and childbirth are significant events in a woman's life and also mark the transition to a new phase of life. A positive experience of pregnancy and childbirth serves as a powerful resource for the whole family and leads to a strong sense of well-being in a salutogenic sense. Midwives and gynaecologists are the closest caregivers for pregnant women and women in labour. Their communication is a direct and essential component of care. Particularly during the late stages of pregnancy and childbirth, the words of newly trusted figures can contribute to strengthening self-confidence and a sense of security, or they can lead to uncertainty and fear. How individual women, under the influence of these words, assess their subjective experience of pregnancy and childbirth is the essential core. Placing the women's perceptions and feelings at the centre is now indispensable - not least to ensure that, in these technologised and fast-paced times, we do not lose sight of the focus of care, namely the well-being of the women and their children.