Table 1.
Sample characteristics (N=2017)
| Characteristics | Categories | n (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Year of birth | 2020 | 1311 (65.0) |
| 2021 | 632 (31.3) | |
| 2022 | 65 (3.2) | |
| Missing | 9 (0.4) | |
| Maternal country of birth | Italy | 1922 (95.3) |
| Other | 95 (4.7) | |
| Maternal age (years) | 18–24 | 40 (2.0) |
| 25–30 | 409 (20.3) | |
| 31–35 | 878 (43.5) | |
| 36–39 | 499 (24.7) | |
| ≥40 | 191 (9.5) | |
| Education levela | None | 0 (0.0) |
| Elementary school | 1 (0.0) | |
| Junior High school | 70 (3.5) | |
| High School | 743 (36.8) | |
| University degree | 590 (29.3) | |
| Postgraduate degree/Master’s/Doctorate | 611 (30.3) | |
| Missing | 2 (0.1) | |
| Parity | 1 | 1467 (72.7) |
| >1 | 550 (27.3) | |
| Type of hospital | Public | 1887 (93.6) |
| Private | 130 (6.4) | |
| Mode of birth | Spontaneous vaginal | 1250 (62.0) |
| Instrumental vaginal | 170 (8.4) | |
| Cesarean section | 597 (29.6) | |
| Infant feeding | Exclusive breastfeeding | 1293 (64.1) |
| Partial breastfeeding | 616 (30.5) | |
| Formula | 108 (5.4) | |
| Companion allowed to stay | Always/nearly always | 287 (14.2) |
| Sometimes | 451 (22.4) | |
| Never/almost never | 1279 (63.4) | |
| Type of healthcare providers who directly assisted birthb | Midwife | 1740 (86.3) |
| Nurse | 508 (25.2) | |
| A student (e.g. before graduation) | 104 (5.2) | |
| Obstetrics registrar/medical resident (under postgraduation training) | 314 (15.6) | |
| Obstetrics and gynecology doctor | 1129 (56.0) | |
| I don’t know (healthcare providers did not introduce themselves) | 213 (10.6) | |
| Other | 158 (7.8) | |
| Other conditions | Newborn admission in ICU/SCBU | 211 (10.5) |
| Maternal admission in ICU | 5 (0.2) | |
| Multiple birth | 25 (1.2) |
a
Wording on education level agreed among partners during the Delphi. Questionnaire translated and back-translated according to ISPOR Task Force for Translation and Cultural Adaptation Principles of Good Practice.
b
More than one possible answer. ICU: intensive care unit. SCBU: special care baby unit.