Skip to main content
Log in

Why Are Half of Women Interested in Participating in Group Prenatal Care?

  • Published:
Maternal and Child Health Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To determine the likelihood of participating in group prenatal care (GPC) and associated factors among low-risk women receiving traditional prenatal care from obstetricians, family physicians or midwives, and to determine factors associated with likelihood of participating.

Methods

Prior to completing a self-administered questionnaire, a 2-min compiled video of GPC was shown to pregnant women receiving traditional prenatal care. Data were collected on opinions of current prenatal care, GPC, and demographics. Biologically plausible variables with a p value ≤0.20 were entered in the multivariable logistic regression model and those with a p value <0.05 were retained.

Results

Of 477 respondents, 234 [49.2 %, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 44.6–53.6 %] reported being “definitely” or “probably likely” to participate in GPC. Women were more likely to participate in GPC if they had at least postsecondary education [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.84, 95 % CI 1.05–3.24], had not discussed labour with their care provider (aOR 1.67, 95 % CI 1.12–2.44), and valued woman-centeredness (“fairly important” aOR 2.81, 95 % CI 1.77–4.49; “very important” aOR 4.10, 95 % CI 2.45–6.88). Women placed high importance on learning components of GPC. The majority would prefer to be with similar women, especially in age. About two-thirds would prefer to have support persons attend GPC and over half would be comfortable with male partners.

Conclusion

Approximately half of women receiving traditional prenatal care were interested in participating in GPC. Our findings will hopefully assist providers interested in optimizing satisfaction with traditional prenatal care and GPC by identifying important elements of each, and thus help engage women to consider GPC.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Novick, G. (2004). CenteringPregnancy and the current state of prenatal care. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 49(5), 405–411.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Walker, D. S., & Worrell, R. (2008). Promoting healthy pregnancies through perinatal groups: A comparison of CenteringPregnancy(R) group prenatal care and childbirth education classes. The Journal of Perinatal Education, 17(1), 27–34.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Handler, A., Rosenberg, D., Raube, K., & Lyons, S. (2003). Prenatal care characteristics and African-American women’s satisfaction with care in a managed care organization. Womens Health Issues, 13(3), 93–103.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Hildingsson, I., & Radestad, I. (2005). Swedish women’s satisfaction with medical and emotional aspects of antenatal care. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 52(3), 239–249.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Centering Healthcare Institute. (2014). The Centering Model. http://www.centeringhealthcare.org/pages/about/history.php. Accessed 31 Mar 2014.

  6. Teate, A., Leap, N., Rising, S. S., & Homer, C. S. (2011). Women’s experiences of group antenatal care in Australia—The CenteringPregnancy Pilot Study. Midwifery, 27(2), 138–145.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Rising, S. S. (1998). Centering pregnancy. An interdisciplinary model of empowerment. Journal of Nurse Midwifery, 43(1), 46–54.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. McNeil, D. A., Vekved, M., Dolan, S. M., Siever, J., Horn, S., & Tough, S. C. (2013). A qualitative study of the experience of CenteringPregnancy group prenatal care for physicians. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 13(Suppl 1), S6.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Rising, S. S., Kennedy, H. P., & Klima, C. S. (2004). Redesigning prenatal care through CenteringPregnancy. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 49(5), 398–404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Ruiz-Mirazo, E., Lopez-Yarto, M., & McDonald, S. D. (2012). Group prenatal care versus individual prenatal care: A systematic review and meta-analyses. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 34(3), 223–229.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Kotelchuck, M. (1994). The Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization Index: Its US distribution and association with low birthweight. American Journal of Public Health, 84(9), 1486–1489.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  12. Ickovics, J. R., Kershaw, T. S., Westdahl, C., Magriples, U., Massey, Z., Reynolds, H., & Rising, S. S. (2007). Group prenatal care and perinatal outcomes: A randomized controlled trial. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 110(2 Pt 1), 330–339.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. McNeil, D. A., Vekved, M., Dolan, S. M., Siever, J., Horn, S., & Tough, S. C. (2012). Getting more than they realized they needed: A qualitative study of women’s experience of group prenatal care. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 12, 17.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. Trudnak, T. E., Arboleda, E., Kirby, R. S., & Perrin, K. (2013). Outcomes of Latina women in CenteringPregnancy group prenatal care compared with individual prenatal care. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 58(4), 396–403.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Tanner-Smith, E. E., Steinka-Fry, K. T., & Lipsey, M. W. (2014). The effects of CenteringPregnancy group prenatal care on gestational age, birth weight, and fetal demise. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 18(4), 801–809.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Tandon, S. D., Colon, L., Vega, P., Murphy, J., & Alonso, A. (2012). Birth outcomes associated with receipt of group prenatal care among low-income Hispanic women. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 57(5), 476–481.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Larroque, B., Ancel, P. Y., Marret, S., Marchand, L., Andre, M., Arnaud, C., et al. (2008). Neurodevelopmental disabilities and special care of 5-year-old children born before 33 weeks of gestation (the EPIPAGE study): A longitudinal cohort study. Lancet, 371(9615), 813–820.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Saigal, S., & Doyle, L. W. (2008). An overview of mortality and sequelae of preterm birth from infancy to adulthood. Lancet, 371(9608), 261–269.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Understanding Premature Birth and Assuring Healthy Outcomes (2007). In R. E. Behrman & A. S. Butler (Eds.), Preterm birth: Causes, consequences and prevention. Washington DC: National Academies Press (US).

  20. Picklesimer, A. H., Billings, D., Hale, N., Blackhurst, D., & Covington-Kolb, S. (2012). The effect of CenteringPregnancy group prenatal care on preterm birth in a low-income population. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 206(5), 415–417.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Shields, S. G., & Candib, L. M. (2010). Women-centered care in pregnancy and childbirth. Abingdon: Radcliffe Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2015). Strong start for mother and newborns initiative: General information. http://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/strong-start/. Accessed 23 Mar 2015.

  23. Statistics Canada. (2011). Census profile. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E. Accessed 5 July 2013.

  24. Statistics Canada. (2014). Median total income, by family type, by census metropolitan area (All census families). July 23, 2014.

  25. Statistics Canada. (2014). Family charateristics summary annual (number unless otherwise noted), cansim database. July 22, 2014.

  26. Statistics Canada. (2014). National Household Survey (NHS) profile, Hamilton, C, Ontario, 2011. April 28, 2014.

  27. Statistics Canada. (2014). National Household Survey (NHS) profile, Brantford, CY, Ontario, 2011. April 28, 2014.

  28. Martin, J. A., Hamilton, B. E., Osterman, M. J. K., Curtin, S. C., & Matthews, T. J. (2015). Division of vital statistics. Births: Final data for 2013. National Vital Statistics Reports, 64(1), 1–101.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Grady, M. A., & Bloom, K. C. (2004). Pregnancy outcomes of adolescents enrolled in a CenteringPregnancy program. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 49(5), 412–420.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Fincham, J. E. (2008). Response rates and responsiveness for surveys, standards, and the Journal. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 72(2), 43.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. McDonald, S. D., Sword, W., Eryuzlu, L. E., & Biringer, A. B. (2014). A qualitative descriptive study of the group prenatal care experience: Perceptions of women with low-risk pregnancies and their midwives. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 14, 334.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  32. Vonderheid, S. C., Carrie, S. K., Norr, K. F., Grady, M. A., & Westdahl, C. M. (2013). Using focus groups and social marketing to strengthen promotion of group prenatal care. Advances in Nursing Science: ANS, 36(4), 320–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Novick, G., Sadler, L. S., Kennedy, H. P., Cohen, S. S., Groce, N. E., & Knafl, K. A. (2011). Women’s experience of group prenatal care. Qualitative Health Research, 21(1), 97–116.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank the women who shared their thoughts with us and the clinic staff for their support. The authors acknowledge salary support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) New Investigator Salary Award and the Ada Slaight and Slaight Family Foundation. Neither had any role in the conduct of the analyses, writing of the report, interpretation of data or decision to submit the manuscript. The authors report no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sarah D. McDonald.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 21 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

McDonald, S.D., Sword, W., Eryuzlu, L.N. et al. Why Are Half of Women Interested in Participating in Group Prenatal Care?. Matern Child Health J 20, 97–105 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-015-1807-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-015-1807-x

Keywords

Navigation