Larkai, Eva, Davies, Anna, Toolan, Miriam, Lynch, Mary, Plachcinski, Rachel, Larkin, Michael, Fraser, Abigail, Burden, Christy and Merriel, Abi (2025). What Do Antenatal Women Want From Their Antenatal Education? A National Survey. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 29 (3), pp. 324-337.
Abstract
Introduction: Antenatal education (ANE) equips pregnant women with knowledge and skills for pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period. It should facilitate preparation for the whole spectrum of the maternal journey and empower women to make informed decisions. This study aimed to explore the antenatal education needs and preferences of women who are currently pregnant or planning a pregnancy. Methods: A UK wide cross-sectional survey was conducted (September 2019 to July 2020), recruiting women living in the UK, above 16, who were currently pregnant or planning a pregnancy. The survey gathered demographic information, details of current or planned class attendance, preferred ANE providers and desired skills and information. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, and free-text responses underwent thematic analysis. Results: Of 553 participants included in the analyses, 77% preferred free National Health Service (NHS) classes and 60% planned to attend multiple class types, including paid options. Participants valued practical skills, particularly for labour and the postpartum period, and actively sought perinatal social networks. Multiparous women were less likely to attend classes, citing prior experience or practical barriers. Despite high interest in NHS classes, regional variations in availability and limited accessibility were noted. Conclusion: NHS antenatal classes are a trusted source of ANE, forming a core element of many women’s antenatal journey. However, inconsistent provision highlights the need for a standardised, comprehensive curriculum. Flexible delivery models and tailored content are crucial to address diverse needs, particularly for multiparous women and underrepresented groups. Enhanced accessibility could reduce inequalities in ANE provision and improve maternal outcomes.
Publication DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-025-04048-z |
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Divisions: | College of Health & Life Sciences > School of Psychology College of Health & Life Sciences > Aston Institute of Health & Neurodevelopment (AIHN) College of Health & Life Sciences |
Funding Information: | This work was supported by a Health Foundation Innovating for Improvement award and the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute, University of Bristol, and funded in whole, or in part, by the Wellcome Trust [Grant number—204813/Z/16/Z]. For the purpose of Open Acce |
Additional Information: | Copyright © The Author(s) 2025. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. |
Uncontrolled Keywords: | Perinatal mental health,Antenatal education,Birth preparation,National health Ssrvice (NHS) |
Publication ISSN: | 1573-6628 |
Last Modified: | 01 Apr 2025 07:12 |
Date Deposited: | 05 Mar 2025 16:36 |
Full Text Link: | |
Related URLs: |
http://www.scop ... tnerID=8YFLogxK
(Scopus URL) https://link.sp ... 995-025-04048-z (Publisher URL) |
PURE Output Type: | Article |
Published Date: | 2025-03 |
Published Online Date: | 2025-02-03 |
Accepted Date: | 2025-01-02 |
Authors: |
Larkai, Eva
Davies, Anna Toolan, Miriam Lynch, Mary Plachcinski, Rachel Larkin, Michael ( ![]() Fraser, Abigail Burden, Christy Merriel, Abi |