Does an information film about prenatal testing in early pregnancy affect women's anxiety and worries?

OBJECTIVE: To explore if an information film about prenatal examinations affects pregnant women's worry and anxiety. METHODS: Randomized controlled study. The intervention was an information film about prenatal examinations. Data was collected in gestational week 26 by a questionnaire including the STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) instrument and further questions about worry. A total of 184 women in the intervention group and 206 in the control group filled in the questionnaire. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups neither in state nor trait anxiety. Regarding worry about the possibility of something being wrong with the baby and worry about giving birth, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups. The women stated that to see the film increased their worry rather than decreased it. CONCLUSION: An informational film as additional information to complement written and verbal information about prenatal testing does not appear to increase women's anxiety and worries. However, the informational film may cause worry at the time of viewing which should be taken into consideration.

Does an informational film increase women's possibility to make an informed choice about second trimester ultrasound?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate effects of an informational film on making an informed choice regarding second trimester ultrasound. METHOD: Randomized controlled study. The intervention was an informational film about prenatal examinations. Data were collected at gestational week 26. RESULTS: A total of 184 women in the intervention group and 206 women in the control group participated in the study. Of those in the intervention group, 81.3% made an informed choice regarding second trimester ultrasound examination compared with 76.1% in the control group (p = 0.21). Women making an informed choice scored higher in knowledge about the examination (p < 0.001), had higher degree of education (p < 0.001), and spoke more frequently Swedish as mother tongue (89.5% vs 74.7%, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: An informational film does not increase women's knowledge or the number of women making an informed choice about the second trimester ultrasound. Women who did not make an informed choice about the second trimester ultrasound had a lower level of education and less knowledge about second trimester ultrasound screening.

Audiovisual information affects informed choice and experience of information in antenatal Down syndrome screening--a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of an information film on making an informed choice regarding Down syndrome screening, and women's knowledge and experiences of information. METHODS: Randomized controlled trial including 184 women in the intervention group and 206 controls recruited from maternity units in Stockholm, Sweden. The intervention was an information film presented as a complement to written and verbal information. Data were collected via a questionnaire in gestational week 27. Three different measures were combined to measure informed choice: attitudes towards Down syndrome screening, knowledge about Down syndrome and Down syndrome screening, and uptake of CUB (combined ultrasound and biochemical screening). RESULTS: In the intervention group 71.5% made an informed choice versus 62.4% in the control group. Women in the intervention group had significantly increased knowledge, and to a greater extent than the control group, experienced the information as being sufficient, comprehensible, and correct. CONCLUSIONS: An information film tended to increase the number of women who made an informed choice about Down syndrome screening. Participants were more satisfied with the information received. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Access to correct, nondirective, and sufficient information is essential when making a choice about prenatal diagnostics. It is essential with equivalent information to all women.