Impact of Group vs. Individual Prenatal Care Provision on Women’s Knowledge of Pregnancy-Related Topics: An Open, Controlled, Semi-Randomized Community Trial

Abstract

The importance of acquiring knowledge of pregnant women on prenatal care lies in its leading to confidence and ability in decision-making. There is a growing need for a model of prenatal care that will allow nurses to provide the most efficient pregnancy-related guidance with minimum need for additional staff. This study compares the level of knowledge on subjects pertaining to pregnancy and birth in low-risk pregnancies when delivered in group versus individual settings. The study is an open, controlled, semi-randomized community trial. The intervention arm received prenatal care services in a group setting led by a nurse. The control arm received prenatal care services in routine individual meetings with a nurse. Knowledge of prenatal subjects was evaluated by questionnaires. The level of knowledge of the women in the group setting for the pre-service questionnaire was lower than that of the women in the individual group, but higher for the final questionnaire. After accounting for a starting point difference (the women in the individual care arm started with a higher knowledge score), the women in the group setting had a three-fold improvement in score compared to the women in the individual setting (p = 0.043). Prenatal care provided in a group setting may lead to better knowledge acquisition, leading to better awareness of pregnancy-related medical conditions and to enhanced adherence to recommended pregnancy tests and healthy lifestyle.