Introduction. Birth schools are educational institutions located at the hospitals or in other medical centers which organize parental education and childbirth classes aimed at preparing future parents to the birth of their child. The main task of birth school is to reduce labor fear by proper preparation of both parents for delivery, as well as gaining knowledge as part of the child’s care after childbirth. Aim. The aim of the thesis is to determine the motives of expectant parents to participate in childbirth classes of a birth school. Material and methods. The study was carried out on both male and female participants of the School of Birth at the Multi-speciality Provincial Hospital in Gorzów Wielkopolski (Wielospecjalistyczny Szpital Wojewódzki w Gorzowie Wielkopolskim). The research involved 200 participants attending a training course of the Birth School between January and June 2017. Diagnostic survey was applied in the study and the research tool was an enquiry questionnaire form of the researcher’s own design. Results. The most common source of information for the future parents aged between 23 and 27 was a physician (48.2%) and the Internet (35.7%) and for the participants aged between 28 and 32 - acquaintances (71%) and a midwife (21%). The main source of information about the birth school for people aged between 33 and 38 was a physician (95%). The motivation for participation in the classes conducted by the Birth School for multiparous women was physical and mental preparation to active delivery (75%) and preparation to the role of a parent (25%). The main motivation for the participation in the Birth School classes in women expecting the first child was preparation for an active delivery (32.86%), gaining knowledge about childcare (21.43%), acquiring knowledge about pregnancy (19, 29%) and participation in a family birth (16.43%). Conclusions. The aware participation of pregnant women in gymnastic, relaxation and breathing exercises is advisable, as it improves the condition and strengthens the pro-health attitude of participants. The primary task of the prenatal education is to shape attitudes aiming at the integration of both parents in acquiring knowledge about pregnancy, labor, confinement and infant care through psychological and physical preparation to active labor.

Key words: a birth school, pregnancy, labor, motherhood, fatherhood.