Patient and provider perspectives on preterm birth risk assessment and communication.
Martha A Tesfalul, Sky K Feuer, Esperanza Castillo and 3 others
PMID 33892976WHAT IT FOUND
Most patients wanted personalized preterm birth risk information, while some prenatal providers avoided counseling low-risk patients.
This describes preferences, not proven counseling benefit.
Key findings
01Among 31 patients who completed the exit survey, 68% definitely and 16% probably wanted to know their personalized preterm birth risk.
02All providers reported discussing preterm birth with high-risk patients, but some chose not to counsel low-risk patients while others counseled all patients.
03Patients' knowledge varied, including definitions ranging from 24 weeks to the due date and frequency estimates ranging from rare to 70%.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted in the San Francisco Bay Area, so perspectives may not apply elsewhere. Patients' partners and providers not affiliated with hospitals were not included. The study did not ask about other adverse pregnancy outcomes, so it cannot show how patients weigh preterm birth risk against risks such as hypertensive disorders or stillbirth. The paper reports eight focus groups with 2 to 8 participants each, but does not state the total number of patient participants; exit survey data are from 31 participants. The provider sample was mostly female and white, and providers might have been more activated to consider enhanced prenatal care models because of local initiatives for group prenatal care and doulas.
Declared interests
The supplied metadata lists research support from NIH extramural and non-U.S. government sources. No author conflicts statement is provided in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that preterm birth risk disclosure improves outcomes or reduces anxiety. The study reports patient and provider perspectives and preferences, not a tested counseling intervention or clinical outcome.