Satisfaction with medical information in women with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) are a major cause of maternal death and fetal prematurity. The purpose of this study was to examine HDP patients' reported satisfaction with the medical information provided by their health care providers.

METHODS

A convenient sample of N=620 patients with a diagnosis of HDP within 24 months prior to the study period completed a self-administered questionnaire dealing with the medical information received and their reported satisfaction. Chi-square, Fisher's Exact, and Student's t tests were used to determine the differences in sociodemographic data and potential confounders between HDP patients who were satisfied and dissatisfied with medical information.

RESULTS

Of the women, 68.6% were not satisfied with the medical information. Women were particularly dissatisfied when they suffered from preeclampsia (PE), were informed of their actual situation, including eventual consequences only after delivery, and in case of fetal disorders resulting from HDP.

CONCLUSION

Based on the background information reported on the importance of medical information to the patient, women developing HDP should be informed of their disease and potential sequelae as early and as differentiated as possible. Doctors need to be convinced of the role of the provider in counseling women with HDP. Information has to be repeated and health care providers are supposed to check whether the women understood the information received.