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