“Well, I wouldn’t be nervous about [getting antibiotics before cord clamping] and if my child got [asthma, allergies, or atopic eczema], the reason might as well be something else [than the antibiotics]. I would still choose to get it before.” (P5)
One woman argued that she would prioritize her baby over herself but at the same time still choose to have the antibiotics before cord clamping. It remained unclear what her motivation for choosing antibiotic treatment before cord clamping was, as the contradictory statement was not discovered before the analysis was made.
In general, seven of the fourteen women spontaneously expressed great trust in the healthcare professionals even if the local practices may have differed from their preference.

Information concerning antibiotics should be obligatory

To some extent, all the women found it important to get information on prophylactic antibiotics during caesarean delivery and the possible side-effects the treatment may cause. Two out of the four women, who were scheduled for caesarean delivery and had attended an information meeting prior to the interview, even expressed how they did not feel they had the sufficient information concerning the antibiotic treatment. However, some mentioned how it can be overwhelming as a first-time mother to get too much information and that they trusted the healthcare professionals.

Offspring vs. maternal risk

The reasons for favouring prophylactic antibiotics either before or after cord clamping were strongly associated with concerns for the baby but some of the women prioritised their own health.

Considerations of the baby

Most of the women were more concerned with the health of their baby rather than their own. The considerations were both about short-term and long-term complications. Four of the women had asthma, allergies, or eczema themselves or an afflicted child from a previous pregnancy and felt that it was important to them not to increase the risk for their unborn baby: