Randomised controlled trial of community debriefing following operative delivery.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine if two debriefing sessions following an operative delivery could reduce a woman's fear of future childbirth.

DESIGN

Prospective randomised controlled trial (RCT) with two arms comparing debriefing, aimed to reduce fear of future childbirth, with standard care after birth.

SETTING

District General Hospital with 2500 deliveries per year.

SAMPLE: Three hundred and nineteen mothers who delivered a first child by operative delivery (i.e. forceps, vacuum or emergency caesarean section). The study took place at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, from January 2002 to July 2003.

METHODS

Debriefing by community midwives specifically trained in postpartum debriefing at 10 days and 10 weeks.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Fear of childbirth was assessed using the Wijma Delivery Expectancy Scale (WDEQ). WDEQ scores were measured 10 days, 10 weeks and 20 weeks following delivery.

RESULTS

Fear of childbirth as measured by the WDEQ was lower throughout the study for the debriefing group. However, it never reached statistical significance in the short term [10 days debriefing = 94.5, control = 97.5 (P= 0.295), 10 weeks debriefing = 92.0, control = 97.9 (P= 0.076), 20 weeks debriefing = 90.9, control = 97.4 (P= 0.057)].

CONCLUSION

This study shows in the short term there was no significant difference in the WDEQ fear of childbirth scores. The debriefing group were showing a tendency for lower scores. Long term follow up of these cases may be more relevant.