Satisfaction with intrapartum care and midwife support
In contrast to experiences of the birth event, the age pattern for satisfaction with overall intrapartum care was reversed. Men of advanced age were more satisfied with overall intrapartum care compared with men of average and young age (advanced age52%; average age 46%; young 39%; p=0.03) (Fig. 3).These seemingly contradictory findings motivated more indepth analyses of the men’s experience of intrapartum care and midwife support. Despite the fact that almost all men (99%) found the midwife medically competent, only 49% (n=378) were fully satisfied with her support. Satisfaction increased with age and accounted for 40% of the young, 50% ofmen of average age and 55%of the men of advanced age (p=0.02). Overt dissatisfaction with the overall support of the intrapartum midwife was reported by15% (n=113) of the men (Table 3): 22% of the young, 12% of the average aged and 15% of the advanced aged men (p