Midwife-led birth place planning discussions outside of clinical guidance: a service evaluation

Background/Aims Women should be empowered to make informed decisions about their care. Birth choices clinics provide personalised discussions when birth place decisions fall outside clinical guidelines to promote safer care. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge transfer following a midwife-led discussion about birth place options, using a survey-based service evaluation. Methods A total of 39 women attending the clinic completed surveys before and after their birth place discussion, to assess their knowledge. Scores were compared using a paired t -test. Participants also rated their confidence, stage of decision making and provided feedback on the discussion. Results Participants demonstrated improvements in knowledge (mean increase: 1.00 point, P ≤0.0001) and confidence (mean increase: 0.44 points, P =0.0014), alongside consolidation of decision making. Conclusions Service development in personalised birth planning and care should support understanding by balancing factual information with personal beliefs and offering content in varied formats. Implications for practice Identifying service improvements that enhance knowledge transfer in birth place planning outside of guidance promotes safety and enhances the experience for women and birthing people.