Antenatal group consultations: Promoting wellbeing

Abstract

Background: Most healthcare encounters take place in a dyadic encounter between a patient and healthcare practitioner, and improving dyadic communication has been the object of much health communication research. However, it seems that an alternative to the dyadic encounter – group consultations – may have distinct advantages for the promotion of patients’ wellbeing. Aim: This article focuses on antenatal group consultations (AGCs), where groups of pregnant women meet with one or more healthcare practitioners instead of meeting their midwife individually, and explores how the presence of other pregnant women in AGCs may promote wellbeing. Methods: Adopting a post-intentional phenomenological approach, we analysed the transcripts of 16 semi-structured interviews undertaken with pregnant women who attended AGCs in Denmark, focusing on their accounts of being with each other. Results: The presence of other pregnant women helped to generate trust, with the participants’ pregnant bodies symbolising their common situation. The presence of peers prompted feelings of identification and solidarity, generally decreased the women’s concerns, and normalised their experiences of pregnancy. Discussion and conclusion: This article develops understandings of how patients experience interpersonal healthcare encounters, and suggests the value of alternatives to the clinical dyad, such as group consultations, for promoting the wellbeing of other patient groups.