Evidence based patient information leaflets in maternity care had limited visibility and did not promote informed choice of childbearing women
QUESTION: From the perspectives of childbearing women and health professionals who provide maternity care, do 10 pairs of research based leaflets on informed choice in maternity services (Informed Choice leaflets) influence choice and decision making?
Design
Grounded theory study done in conjunction with a randomised controlled trial.
Setting
Women’s homes and antenatal and ultrasound clinics in 13 maternity units in England and Wales, UK.
Participants
Childbearing women using maternity services and health professionals who provide maternity care.
Methods
10 pairs of research based Informed Choice leaflets were provided for service users and staff in the control sites. Non-participant observation of 886 antenatal consultations (of 886 childbearing women, 653 midwives, 167 obstetricians, and 66 obstetric ultrasonographers) and 383 indepth interviews (with 163 childbearing women, 177 midwives, 28 obstetricians, 12 obstetric ultrasonographers, and 3 obstetric anaesthetists) were done by women midwifery researchers. These face …
