Annex
MODELS OF MATERNITY CARE: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
DR TINA LAVENDER
Needs an introduction, aim, overview of methodology,
number and types of units visited and information on the focus
group midwives. See other comments in the RCM response.
Antenatal responses (n=1,805)
Mean Age 28.7 years (SC 6.9)
Mean gesgation 29.6 weeks (SD 9.5)
Primigravid, n=800 (44.3%)
White European, n=1,496 (82.9%)
Mixed deprivation
FINDINGS
— Only 8% of women ever considered
a home birth.
— There is a wide variation in choices
of birth settings offered to individual women.
— In antenatal period women were indifferent
as to whether they gave birth in the same place as they had received
antenatal care.
— The majority of women (1,219, 67.9%)
said that they would be willing to travel if it meant they received
higher quality intrapartum care.
— The majority of women (1,298, 72%)
thought it was important that antenatal appointments were close
to where they live. Women from ethnic minority groups were more
likely to say that they wanted antenatal care close to where they
live (218/267 vs. 1,065 vs. 1,462, p<0.01).
— The majority of women (1,157, 64.1%)
agreed that they would feel unsafe if a doctor were not immediately
available duirng labour. A further 312 women (17.3%) were indifferent.
Women from ethnic minority groups were more likely to feel unsafe
if a doctor were not immediately available (212/265 vs. 932/1,458
p<0.0001).
— The majority (1,241, 68.7%) of women
want a midwife to help them give birth to their baby even if there
are complications (although the qualitative data suggests that
women are unsure of the role a midwife plays in birth).
— Women's views were split (32.9% thought
it important, 31/9% were indifferent, 31.9% thought it unimportant)
as to the importance of knowing the midwife who helps them give
birth.
— A large majority of women (1,359,
75.3%) stated that it was important to have a SCBU in the same
place, as they would give birth. Women from ethnic minority groups
were more likely to say that they wanted a SCBU in the place where
they gave birth (228/267 vs 1,114/1460 p<0.001).
— Approximtely half (921, 51%) of the
women agreed that it was important to have an epidural available
at any time of day or night. 521 (28.9%) women were indifferent
and 284 (15.7%) disagreed.
— The majority of women neither agreen
nor disagreed with the importance of having a pool available.
Primigravid women were more likely to state that it was important
to have
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