fa مطالعه کیفی تجارب و درک زنان نخست‌زا از پدیده‌زایمان در مراجعه‌کنندگان به بیمارستان‌های آموزشی، درمانی دانشگاه علوم پزشکی شیراز General پژوهشي Research Article Background and AimDuring the process of labor, women develop important experiences which will always remain with them through their lifetime. Quality of these experiences influences both mother’s and child’s health, their emotional connection and the mother’s sexual function in future. This qualitative study aimed at clarifying the primiparous women’s experiences regarding childbirth.   Materials and MethodsThe present qualitative study was conducted on the primiparous women referring to the educational hospitals of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences selected through purposive sampling. The necessary data was collected through Semi-structured interviews with 17 primiparous women having no complicated vaginal delivery. Demographic information was also gathered using a questionnaire. Interviews were conducted 24- 48 hours after delivery and the obtained data was analyzed applying content analysis.   ResultsAfter data analysis, four themes related to labor experience were extracted. The first theme, difference between the experience and the expectation, means that some participants generally experienced their childbirth better than what was expected and to most of them it was worse than expected. The second theme, strategies for dealing with pain, meant that the participants attempted to confront the labor pain through spiritual-religious and physical approaches. The two other themes covered the need for labor support and a new insight into natural delivery. ConclusionAccording to the results of this study, women who experience childbirth for the first time may not have a realistic expectation regarding natural childbirth, lose their control in facing labor, and ask for caesarean delivery. Therefore, more attention should be paid to childbirth preparation classes. Besides, more support for laboring women, in addition to concentration over maternal and fetal physical health, is recommended Parity,Parturition,Labor Pain,Pregnancy,Natural Childbirth 226 236 http://mcj.bums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-390&slc_lang=fa&sid=1 Farideh Vaziri فریده وزیری 10031947532846004149 10031947532846004149 Yes کارشناس ارشد مامایی و عضو هیات علمی دانشکده پرستاری و مامایی حضرت فاطمه(س)، دانشگاه علوم پزشکی شیراز، ایران. تلفن: 07116279131 پست الکترونیک: roose82003@yahoo.com Zahra Khademian زهرا خادمیان 10031947532846004150 10031947532846004150 No کارشناس ارشد پرستاری و دانشجوی دکتری، مربی دانشکده پرستاری و مامایی حضرت فاطمه(س)، دانشگاه علوم پزشکی شیراز، ایران. Bahar Morshed Behbahani بهار مرشد بهبهانی 10031947532846004151 10031947532846004151 No عضو هیات علمی دانشکده پرستاری و مامایی حضرت فاطمه(س)، دانشگاه علوم پزشکی شیراز، ایران