May 26, 2025
Information Needs of Women with Planned Caesarean Section in the Context of Antenatal Classes – Study Protocol for a Qualitative Study
- Maren Ohle1,
- Laura Eisenbach1,
- Barbara Prediger2,
- Nadja Könsgen2
- 1Institute for Health Economics and Clinical Epidemiology (IGKE), Cologne, Germany;
- 2Institute for Research in Operative Medicine (IFOM), Cologne, Germany
Protocol Citation: Maren Ohle, Laura Eisenbach, Barbara Prediger, Nadja Könsgen 2025. Information Needs of Women with Planned Caesarean Section in the Context of Antenatal Classes – Study Protocol for a Qualitative Study. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.bp2l6y5k5vqe/v1
Manuscript citation:
License: This is an open access protocol distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working
Created: May 25, 2025
Last Modified: May 26, 2025
Protocol Integer ID: 218900
Keywords: Antenatal classes, Planned Caesarean Sections, Pregnant Women, Germany, Qualitative Study, planned caesarean section in the context, planned caesarean section, antenatal class, attending antenatal class, topic of caesarean section, caesarean section, context of antenatal class, structure of antenatal class, information needs of women, pregnancy, pregnant women, course design, comprehensive understanding of the informational need, positive pregnancy experience, pregnant in the past, planned c, informational need, improvements in course content, oriented course design, course content, information need, gynecological practice, study population, course, study, specific preferences of these women, study protocol, aim of this study, delivery format, qualitative study background, information, section, qualitative content analysis
Abstract
Background: Studies have shown that attending antenatal classes is associated with a more positive pregnancy experience as well as increased feelings of confidence and self-efficacy. However, while the topic of caesarean section (CS) is usually only covered briefly in such classes, it remains unclear to what extent women planning a CS feel addressed by these courses and actually make use of them. The existing body of research only provides limited evidence in this regard. Yet, these women could equally benefit from the advantages that antenatal classes offer. The aim of this study is to investigate the demand and information needs of (currently and previously) pregnant women with a planned CS in the context of antenatal classes. Additionally, the study seeks to identify the specific preferences of these women regarding the content, timing, delivery format, and structure of antenatal classes, in order to inform a more needs-oriented course design.
Methods: The study population consists of women who are either currently pregnant and planning a CS (Survey 1), as well as women who have been pregnant in the past and have personally experienced a planned CS (Survey 2). Furthermore, only women who attended an antenatal class during their pregnancy in which a CS was planned will be included. The study will be conducted as semi-structured interviews and the data will be evaluated using Mayring’s qualitative content analysis. Participants for the two surveys will be recruited via midwives, gynecological practices, and social media platforms (Facebook and Instagram) using digital and printed recruitment materials, group posts, and influencer collaborations.
Discussion: This study offers the opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of the informational needs of women with a planned CS in antenatal classes. It includes the perspectives of both currently and previously pregnant women, allowing for prospective and retrospective insights. The findings from both groups will complement each other and can inform improvements in course content and structure. A potential selection bias may limit the findings, as participants with strong opinions or particular experiences may be more likely to take part.
Ethics: Ethical approval for the study will be obtained from the Medical Ethics Committee of the University of Witten/Herdecke. Results will be published in a relevant scientific journal and communicated to interested participants upon request.
Estimated start of the study: June 2025
Detailed information on our protocol can be found in the attached PDF file.
Attachments
Study_Protocol.pdf
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