Introduction:

In the 20th century, childbirth went from being attended at home to the hospital setting. Inappropriate and unnecessary interventions were uncritically adopted, leading to a dehumanization of childbirth. This is the model that currently exists in most Spanish hospitals, which has been questioned by the World Health Organization as early as 1996.

Objective:

The aim is to describe the differences in obstetrical and neonatal results across two different models of maternity care (biomedical model and humanised birth).

Method:

A correlational descriptive and multicenter study was carried out. A convenience sample of 205 primiparous women, 110 biomedical model and 95 humanised model, were recruited. Obstetrical and neonatal results were compared in two hospitals with different models of maternity care in Spain.

Results:

The humanised model of maternity care produces better obstetrical outcomes (spontaneous beginning of labour, normal vaginal birth, intact perineum and I degree tear and less episiotomies) than the biomedical model. There were no differences in neonatal outcomes.

Conclusion:

The benefits of implementing a humanised model of delivery care should be considered by health policy makers and reflected in the woman and her baby.

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