https://www.womenandbirth.org/article/S1871-5192(26)00007-7/fulltext
Vacuum-assisted birth (VAB) is a vital obstetric intervention to expedite delivery and prevent unnecessary cesarean sections. This qualitative study explored women’s experiences of VAB at Haydom hospital. Four themes emerged: Making sense of the unexpected; Balancing fears and necessity; Feeling seen versus feeling ignored; and Redefining future childbearing plans post-VAB. Women’s experiences of VAB were shaped by the quality of antenatal preparation, provider communication, respectful intrapartum care, and postpartum support. Embedding antenatal education, effective communication, shared decision-making, and postpartum debriefing into training and supervision may enhance acceptability and sustainable use of VAB in low-resource settings.