Feasibility study of a Latest Date of Delivery (LDD) system of managing pregnancy.

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to establish the acceptability of a Latest Date of Delivery (LDD) system of managing pregnancy. An LDD is the date at 42 weeks on which labour will be induced if a woman has not delivered by then. This study examined whether women under conventional expected date of delivery (EDD) management would find an LDD system acceptable in principle, and whether they would prefer it to the EDD system. An additional objective was to examine changes in state anxiety in late pregnancy, post-term, and after delivery.

METHODS

This was a preliminary survey of women's attitudes towards an LDD system. Sixty-two women under normal pregnancy management completed questionnaires about the acceptability of an LDD system at 36 weeks gestation. In addition, questionnaires measuring state anxiety were completed at 36, 38, 40, and 41 weeks.

RESULTS

The majority of women evaluated an LDD system positively, with 64% of women saying they would agree to an LDD and only 11.3% saying they would not. Forty percent of women said they would prefer an LDD to an EDD system and 36% said they were not sure. Women who had not delivered by 41 weeks had significantly more anxiety than those who had delivered.

CONCLUSIONS

The LDD system appears to be acceptable to women and, for 40% of women, preferable to the EDD. Anxiety appears to increase as women go post-term, but problems of attrition mean the results regarding anxiety should be treated cautiously. Potential difficulties with implementing an LDD system are discussed.