Evaluation of the Birth Matters Clinic (v1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluation of a midwife-led clinic providing pre-birth and postnatal consultations to women with fear of childbirth and/or following traumatic or unsatisfactory pregnancy or childbirth experiences
IRAS ID
161826
Contact name
Zoe Darwin
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Unviersity of Leeds
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Women’s experiences of childbirth and maternity care can increase the likelihood of psychological problems after the birth or during a subsequent pregnancy (e.g. including postnatal depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, fear of childbirth), and can have negative impacts on a woman’s relationship with her baby and with her partner. Psychological problems such as these can have various causes. Post-traumatic stress may follow births that are medically complicated, but also births where the woman has felt loss of control, dignity or respect. Similarly, fear of childbirth may develop following a traumatic or unsatisfactory birth but can also exist in women who have not previously been pregnant.
Women may benefit from additional postnatal support following a previously traumatic or unsatisfactory birth experience, and/or additional support during a first or subsequent pregnancy to improve their (next) birth experience. Despite a lack of demonstrated effectiveness, services exist that offer postnatal consultations (e.g. debriefing) and pre-birth planning; highlighting tensions between clinical needs and research evidence.
The Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust offers a Birth Matters Clinic at each of its two hospital sites, where midwives deliver postnatal consultations to women who have experienced a difficult birth or unsatisfactory care, and pre-birth planning consultation to women who have concerns over the birth. The overall aim of the study is to explore experiences of the Birth Matters Clinic and identify ways in which it could be improved, from the perspectives of women who use the service and midwives who deliver the service. The results of this small scale study will inform the development of a larger externally funded study and inform services locally and more widely.
Data will be collected using in-depth interviews with midwives and women. All participants will complete a background research questionnaire and women will complete a measure of symptoms of psychological distress.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/YH/1258
Date of REC Opinion
19 Dec 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion