Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
and their opinion of the content, structure and process of the
booking visit. An extensive search revealed a paucity of research on
the booking visit from the woman’s perspective and highlights a gap
in midwifery knowledge of women’s expectation and experience of
the first antenatal booking visit.
Irish and international anecdotal and empirical evidence reviewed
surrounding the antenatal booking visit and satisfaction with early
antenatal care does not focus on or emphasise the obstetric
ultrasound scan. However Sanders (2000) and Collins (2002) reveal
the ultrasound scan is an area of importance for women. Sanders
(2000) found that women in the United Kingdom at a mean
gestation of eight weeks rely on the scan to confirm their pregnancy
and to reassure them of an ongoing pregnancy.
While Collins (2002) reveals that women expect an ultrasound scan
at the booking visit (mean gestation 15 weeks) and that the number
of scans in pregnancy contributes to satisfaction with antenatal
care.
It is important to note maternity services, in particular the timing,
place and content of the first booking visit are not comparable in
Ireland, the United Kingdom, Europe or Australia.
Methodology
A qualitative descriptive approach underpinned by feminist
principles was chosen to explore the subjective nature of women’s
expectation and experience of the first visit. Seeking to explore
women’s experiences and make them visible with intention to
implement change is supported by the application of feminist
principles
A purposeful sample was recruited at the first antenatal booking
visit.
Focus group discussions were the chosen data collection method as
the purposeful interaction between participants may reveal
information that would be difficult to obtain in an individual
interview (Morgan, 1998; Kamberelis and Dimitriadis, 2005). Focus
group discussion generally obtains a broad, rich range of
information (Sandelowski, 2000; Lane et al., 2001; Mc Lafferty,
2004; Denzin and Lincoln, 2005).
Though the inherent difficulties with focus groups were encountered
they were an appropriate means to capture women’s experience of
the first antenatal booking visit.
Eleven women participated in the focus group discussions.
- 743 -