Breech Birth Preferences of Expectant Parents in a London Hospital
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Breech Childbirth Preferences of Expectant Parents in a Large London Teaching Hospital: A descriptive exploratory case study
IRAS ID
242124
Contact name
Mandie Scamell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
City, University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 29 days
Research summary
We aim to evaluate the extent of expectant parents preferences for vaginal breech births prior to counselling, and the factors that influence these preferences using personal interview surveys. The research will involve interviewing expectant mothers and their partners. All women presenting with a confirmed breech presentation at a large London based teaching hospital will be given information about this study along with their Trust approved mode of birth information leaflet during their routine antenatal appointment at 36 weeks of pregnancy. As per Trust clinical protocol, all women are offered a routine Obstetric Ultrasound Scan (OUSS) at thirty-six weeks gestation for confirmation of fetal presentation and fetal growth. Following this routine OUSS appointment, if the presetation of the fetus is confromed as breech, as part of routine care wihtin the Trust the sonographers refer the mother to the breech clinic for further counselling. The researcher conducting the research manages the breech service within the host Trust and will therefore approach parents and invite them to take part in an interview on their preferred mode of birth and the reasons behind these preferences. Both parents, if present, will be interviewed separately. Parents will already have been given information about the study in the form of a Participant Information Sheet (PIS) by the clinician referring them for an OUSS. The findings from this research will provide evidence on the following:\n1.\tthe demand for a vaginal breech birth service, based on written information prior to individualised counselling;\n2.\tthe factors influencing this demand, which can be used to improve shared decision-making training and taken into account when planning future research; and\n3.\ta predicted service planning model for a fully integrated breech continuity team within the host Trust.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 1
REC reference
20/NS/0011
Date of REC Opinion
23 Jan 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion