Online search activity^* during births is an emerging trend among women today in developed countries [15, 22, 26]. In the US, however, there is a lack of research that outlines the relationships between online search activities during birth and birth experience satisfaction levels. This study was conducted to (1) determine the prevalence of online search activities during birth, (2) identify if online search activity engagement during pregnancy is a predictor for online search activity engagement during birth, (3) analyze whether there are significant relationships between online search activities and satisfaction levels of birth experience, patient and provider interaction, and control and autonomy, and (4) identify situations that motivate women to engage in online search activities.

A self-administered, web-based survey was conducted to women who gave birth in the US, and statistical analysis was conducted using logistic regression analysis and linear regression analysis. A total of 182 women who gave birth in the US participated and completed the web-based survey. Of the 182, 61 women (33.5%) engaged in online search activities for the purpose of finding information about birth during birth. There was a significant relationship between engagement levels of online search engines during pregnancy and engagement of online search activities during birth. The more women engaged in online search activities during pregnancy, the more likely they were to engage in online search activities during birth.

For online search activities’ relationship with birth experience satisfaction levels, despite the prevalence and engagement levels of online search activities during birth, there was no statistically significant relationship between online search activities and satisfaction levels of overall birth experience, control and autonomy, and patient and provider interactions. Situations that prompted women to engage in online search activities were when women (1) encountered a medical term that they did not know about, (2) experienced symptoms they were unsure of, (3) were unsure if they were allowed to do certain things, and (4) were not sure what effacement and dilation measurements meant.

Due to the diverse range and quality of information women find from online search activities, it is difficult to conclude whether online search activity has positive or negative correlations with women’s birth experiences. Further research on what types and aspects of online search activities contribute to positive experiences, and which types and aspects contribute to negative experiences may help in understanding what kind of assistance is perceived to be helpful to women who seek information for empowerment and shared decision making. Healthcare professionals and care teams should recognize that online search activity is a prevalent trend amongst women in birth suites, and should embrace this behavior and use it as an opportunity for improving maternal healthcare.

^*Online search activity is the act of seeking information on online search engines such as, but not limited to, Google, Wikipedia, and Youtube using phone, tablet, or other electronic devices. In this thesis, it refers to women searching birth and/or pregnancy related information on their devices (phone, tablet, etc) during their birth experiences.