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Background <p>Freebirth refers to the decision to go through pregnancy or give birth without the presence of healthcare professionals. Although this choice remains marginal, it has been gaining increasing attention due to the issues it raises regarding reproductive autonomy, relationships with medical institutions, and the search for support. Given the marginalization of their experiences, women who choose freebirth develop strategies of legitimation and solidarity, notably by relying on social networking sites (SNS). Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 23 participants and trace interviews conducted with nine of them, this article examines the use of SNS in the context of freebirth to better understand their role in this perinatal experience.</p> Results <p>Our findings describe the SNS used by women who choose freebirth, their specific uses, and their roles in the perinatal experience. Two SNS are particularly significant for these women: Facebook and YouTube. On Facebook, participants engage in private online groups (dedicated to freebirth or broader perinatal topics) and follow professional pages related to childbirth and maternity care. Private Facebook groups serve as spaces for discussion where participants share testimonies, ask questions, and receive advice, fostering a sense of community and support. In contrast, professional Facebook pages and YouTube videos primarily provide educational content focused on perinatal empowerment, with participants generally engaging with this information in a more observational or reserved manner. These SNS shape the perinatal experience by facilitating emotional preparation, particularly through exposure to inspiring content and engagement in private groups. They also reinforce women’s confidence in their decision to experience a freebirth.</p> Conclusions <p>SNS contribute to deconstructing traditional medical norms by offering alternative perspectives on pregnancy and childbirth while supporting women in their efforts to reclaim birth. Far from being uncritical consumers of online content, these women actively engage in a reflective and critical process, allowing them to question prevailing perinatal norms.</p>

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Reconstructing reproductive autonomy through social networks: a qualitative analysis of the digital practices of women experiencing freebirth

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年7月31日

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  • Audrey Bujold,
  • Pierre Pariseau-Legault,
  • Christine Gervais

摘要

Background

Freebirth refers to the decision to go through pregnancy or give birth without the presence of healthcare professionals. Although this choice remains marginal, it has been gaining increasing attention due to the issues it raises regarding reproductive autonomy, relationships with medical institutions, and the search for support. Given the marginalization of their experiences, women who choose freebirth develop strategies of legitimation and solidarity, notably by relying on social networking sites (SNS). Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 23 participants and trace interviews conducted with nine of them, this article examines the use of SNS in the context of freebirth to better understand their role in this perinatal experience.

Results

Our findings describe the SNS used by women who choose freebirth, their specific uses, and their roles in the perinatal experience. Two SNS are particularly significant for these women: Facebook and YouTube. On Facebook, participants engage in private online groups (dedicated to freebirth or broader perinatal topics) and follow professional pages related to childbirth and maternity care. Private Facebook groups serve as spaces for discussion where participants share testimonies, ask questions, and receive advice, fostering a sense of community and support. In contrast, professional Facebook pages and YouTube videos primarily provide educational content focused on perinatal empowerment, with participants generally engaging with this information in a more observational or reserved manner. These SNS shape the perinatal experience by facilitating emotional preparation, particularly through exposure to inspiring content and engagement in private groups. They also reinforce women’s confidence in their decision to experience a freebirth.

Conclusions

SNS contribute to deconstructing traditional medical norms by offering alternative perspectives on pregnancy and childbirth while supporting women in their efforts to reclaim birth. Far from being uncritical consumers of online content, these women actively engage in a reflective and critical process, allowing them to question prevailing perinatal norms.