Conclusion
The findings of this study show the benefit of acknowledging the physical design of hospital-based birthing rooms. Nulliparous women randomized to a birthing room designed with person-centered considerations aimed at supporting the physiology of birth reported more positive overall childbirth experiences 3 and 12 months after birth than women randomized to a regular birthing room. When designing interventions and environments in hospital settings, it is essential to understand the psychological and existential dimensions of childbirth, since the dynamics and changes in labor and birth experiences influence outcomes. It is also essential to understand how remnants of archaic nest-building behaviors and experiences are still present in birthing women of today. The findings of the study confirm that the physical design matters to women in their assessment of childbirth experience, but we were unable to show the actual effect of the new room on the variables explored. Therefore, additional research is needed that qualitatively explores the impact of the birth environment design on women’s long-term childbirth experiences.