{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,13]],"date-time":"2026-10-13T05:44:32Z","timestamp":1791870272561,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Wiley","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,12]],"date-time":"2026-10-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791763200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,12]],"date-time":"2026-10-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791763200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Birth"],"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Aim<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To explore how the idealization of vaginal birth influences the social perceptions, emotional experiences, and maternal identity of women who have given birth by cesarean section.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This is a qualitative descriptive design study conducted between July 2025 and April 2026 with 23 women from across Turkey who gave birth within the last 6\u2009months, using a purposive and snowball sampling method. Data were collected through an anonymous online qualitative questionnaire and subjected to inductive thematic analysis using MAXQDA software. The study strictly adhered to COREQ principles and ethics standards.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Four primary themes were identified. Under \u201cSocial Perceptions of Birth\u201d, the dominant \u201cnormal birth\u201d discourse marginalized cesarean sections as \u201cabnormal\u201d, fostering feelings of \u201cmaternal failure\u201d and widespread societal pressure. Within \u201cEmotional Reflections\u201d, despite profound feelings of inadequacy, the conscious acceptance of medical reality provided a vital emotional defense mechanism. The theme \u201cSocial Environment and Support Mechanisms\u201d highlighted the protective role of positive support against trauma induced by unfiltered social criticism. Finally, in \u201cReconstruction of Motherhood and Womanhood Identity\u201d, women redefined motherhood independently of delivery methods, transforming the process into a profound experience of personal empowerment.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The findings suggest that the social idealization of vaginal birth extends beyond clinical recommendations and becomes a powerful cultural discourse that shapes maternal identity and emotional well\u2010being. To safeguard maternal psychosocial welfare, clinical discourse should replace \u201cnormal birth\u201d with inclusive terms like \u201cspontaneous vaginal birth,\u201d ensuring future maternity care practices utilize empowering healthcare approaches. These findings should be interpreted within the Turkish cultural and maternity care context, where childbirth practices, social perceptions, and attitudes toward cesarean section may differ across countries. This study demonstrates that the idealization of vaginal birth not only shapes social attitudes but also influences women's maternal identity through internalized feelings of competence and self\u2010esteem, expanding the existing literature on stigma.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/birt.70110","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,13]],"date-time":"2026-10-13T04:45:49Z","timestamp":1791866749000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Are C\u2010Sections Stigmatized While Idealizing Vaginal Birth?: Women's Experiences"],"prefix":"10.1111","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3099-4953","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Seda","family":"\u00c7etin Avc\u0131","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Women's Health and Diseases Nursing Faculty of Health Sciences, \u0130zmir Katip \u00c7elebi University  \u0130zmir T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6194-3131","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nuray","family":"Egelio\u011flu Ceti\u015fli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Women's Health and Diseases Nursing Faculty of Health Sciences, \u0130zmir Katip \u00c7elebi University  \u0130zmir T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_15_2_1","unstructured":"Organisation for Economic Co\u2010operation and Development (OECD) \u201cCaesarean sections \u201dStatista https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/283123\/cesarean\u2010sections\u2010in\u2010oecd\u2010countries\/."},{"key":"e_1_2_15_3_1","unstructured":"T.C. Sa\u011fl\u0131k Bakanl\u0131\u011f\u0131 \u201cSa\u011fl\u0131k \u0130statistikleri Y\u0131ll\u0131\u011f\u0131 2024 \u201d(2025) https:\/\/www.saglik.gov.tr\/TR\u2010114952\/saglik\u2010istatistikleri\u2010yilligi\u20102024.html."},{"key":"e_1_2_15_4_1","volume-title":"Health Promotion in Health Care\u2014Vital Theories and Research","author":"Shorey S.","year":"2021"},{"key":"e_1_2_15_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102","DOI":"10.38136\/jgon.1482889","article-title":"T\u00fcrkiye sezaryen oran\u0131 durum analizi ve politika \u00f6nerileri","volume":"21","author":"Topakta\u015f G.","year":"2024","journal-title":"Jinekoloji\u2010Obstetrik Ve Neonatoloji T\u0131p Dergisi"},{"key":"e_1_2_15_6_1","unstructured":"T.C. Sa\u011fl\u0131k Bakanl\u0131\u011f\u0131 Sa\u011fl\u0131\u011f\u0131n Geli\u015ftirilmesi Genel M\u00fcd\u00fcrl\u00fc\u011f\u00fc \u201cDo\u011fal olan normal do\u011fum \u201d(2025) https:\/\/sggm.saglik.gov.tr\/TR\u2010106002\/dogal\u2010olan\u2010normal\u2010dogum.html."},{"key":"e_1_2_15_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjgh\u20102019\u2010002047"},{"key":"e_1_2_15_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0235688"},{"key":"e_1_2_15_9_1","volume-title":"WHO Recommendations: Non\u2010Clinical Interventions to Reduce Unnecessary Caesarean Sections","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2018"},{"key":"e_1_2_15_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.32872\/spb.12282"},{"key":"e_1_2_15_11_1","unstructured":"C.Lovell \u201cHaving a C\u2010section saved mine and my baby's life. So why did I feel guilty about it? Women's Health \u201d(2021) https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/uk\/health\/mental\u2010health\/a36361116\/c\u2010section\u2010guilt\/."},{"key":"e_1_2_15_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.q2124"},{"key":"e_1_2_15_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/birt.12069"},{"key":"e_1_2_15_14_1","volume-title":"stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity","author":"Goffman E.","year":"1963"},{"key":"e_1_2_15_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1017\/CBO9780511489501","volume-title":"Making Sense of Motherhood: A Narrative Approach","author":"Miller T.","year":"2005"},{"key":"e_1_2_15_16_1","volume-title":"Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution","author":"Rich A.","year":"1976"},{"key":"e_1_2_15_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"S.Aubrey \u201cSix Pregnancy Terms You Probably Won't Hear Again Including \u2018High Risk\u2019 and \u2018Failed\u2019. 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