Mothers' Experience of Category 1 Cesarean Section

A Category 1 caesarean section is the most urgent type — performed within 30 minutes when there is an immediate threat to the life of the mother or baby. For many mothers, this experience can be sudden, frightening, and traumatic, leaving lasting emotional effects that are often underexplored in medical research. This Danish study aims to understand what mothers go through during and after a Category 1 caesarean section performed at Kolding Hospital. Mothers who had this procedure within a one-year study period are invited to participate, provided they speak and understand Danish. There are no other significant exclusion criteria, making the study broadly accessible to the affected population. By listening directly to mothers' experiences, this research aims to identify what aspects of care were supportive and what caused distress — from how they were informed and prepared, to the emotional aftermath. These findings could directly improve how hospitals support mothers through emergency caesarean births, potentially reducing trauma and improving long-term mental health outcomes.