“It’s a given now, that’s just how we communicate”: Pregnant people’s experiences with using communication technology when connecting with their midwife

Introduction: Effective communication between pregnant women/people and midwives is important in establishing trusting and respectful relationships. Texting and email have been shown to be convenient ways for people to connect and share information. Aim: This paper reports on findings from interviews with pregnant and recently pregnant women/people on what is important for them when using communication technology to connect with their midwife. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted using an online platform. Two participants had previously completed an online survey in phase 1B of the multi-phase study and had expressed interest in participating further. Three other participants were recruited via a closed Pregnancy Facebook group and midwives. All participants were emailed an invitation to participate. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data. Findings: Three themes emerged from the findings, highlighting what was important for participants when using communication technology with their midwife during their pregnancy: being known, access and connectedness, and the midwife recognised as a professional. Discussion: Being known was important when using communication technology, as it enabled respectful and trusting relationships to develop. These relationships were further enhanced through the functionality of communication technology which provided space for participants to compose messages and respond to their midwife, and through the convenience and flexibility with being able to communicate in a non-intrusive manner. The professionalism of the midwife was recognised with ensuring privacy of information, despite participants being unconcerned about privacy themselves. Conclusion: The knowingness that comes from a continuity of care relationship contributed towards a relationship of trust. This was reflected in the respectful choices made by the participants when using communication technology to connect with their midwife.