Objectives : To collect concrete examples of significant childbirth experiences in order to establish supportive care for mothers who have experienced the preterm birth of a low-birth-weight infant. Methods : Data were collected during semi-structured interviews conducted on mothers who had experienced the preterm birth of a low-birth-weight infant from Aug. through Nov. of 2005. Participants provided free responses to questions regarding their childbirth experiences. The collected data were categorized using a content analysis method based on the method proposed by Berelson. Results : The following seven core-categories of significant childbirth experiences were extracted : "feeling anxiety or relief due to requiring medical care following the awareness of the possibility of preterm birth", "feeling anxiety or relief due to relying on professionals in preparing for preterm birth", "feeling anxiety following self-assessment of health-related behaviors due to one's high-risk status during pregnancy", "feeling anxiety or relief due to the delayed growth process in a low-birth-weight infant", "loss of control of one's own childbirth due to the need to undergo an emergency Caesarean section in the early phase of pregnancy", "feeling anxiety due to minor drawbacks immediately after preterm birth and the subsequent delay in direct contact with the infant", and "burden of husband's emotions and behaviors in preparing for preterm birth". Conclusions : The categories comprising concrete examples of significant childbirth experiences identified in the present preliminary report may be useful for exploring supportive care for the emotional instability of mothers who have experienced the preterm birth of a low-birth-weight infant.