The decision to use, or not use, neuraxial labor analgesia is complex, with both maternal and fetal considerations. Fears and concerns about neuraxial analgesia may influence analgesic decision-making. Little is known about patients' preferences for analgesic counseling. Therefore, the objectives of this qualitative study were to evaluate the sources of information used by patients, the timing and content of antepartum counseling about labor analgesia, and patients' preferences for such counseling.
A semi-structured interview guide was developed. Survey domains included the sources of information used by patients, the timing and content of antenatal counseling, patients' perceptions of intrapartum analgesic counseling, and their preferences for analgesic counseling. Interviews occured on postpartum day 1. Interview transcripts were analyzed using content analysis.
The interviews of 45 women were analyzed. The Internet was the most frequently mentioned source of information (44%). The majority of women (78%) discussed analgesic options with their obstetric providers before delivery. All women were counseled intrapartum by an anesthesiologist, but several women commented on the difficulty of concentrating while laboring. Seventy-three percent of women stated that they would want counseling on analgesic options from their obstetric provider during the second or third trimester.
Women prefer to be counseled about labor analgesia by their obstetric providers, as they have an established relationship. Patients would prefer the counseling to occur during pregnancy, before the onset of labor. However, given the frequent use of the Internet, the content and quality of online materials should also be evaluated.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 17 July 2018.
All research outputs
#21,719,280
of 33,992,632 outputs
Outputs from Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care
#940
of 1,224 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#206,072
of 355,414 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care
#10
of 13 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 33,992,632 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 35th percentile – i.e., 35% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 1,224 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 18.0. This one is in the 23rd percentile – i.e., 23% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 13 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 23rd percentile – i.e., 23% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
