Women's satisfaction with antenatal care: comparing women in Sweden and Australia

Abstract

Background: Satisfaction with antenatal care could differ depending on the organisation and the context of care.

Aim: To compare antenatal care in Australia and Sweden, to identify deficiencies in the content of antenatal care and what aspects contributed most in dissatisfaction with antenatal care.

Methods: A longitudinal survey of 123 Australian and 386 Swedish women recruited during one year in regional hospitals in Sweden and Australia. Data collected by three questionnaires.

Results: Women in Australia had more antenatal visits, less continuity of midwife caregiver but were more satisfied with antenatal education and the emotional aspects of antenatal care. Although the overall satisfaction was high, deficiencies were found in more than half of the studied variables in the content of care. Women in Sweden were more dissatisfied with information about labour and birth (OR 3.1; 1.8-5.3) and information about the time following birth (OR 3.8; 2.2-6.3), but more satisfied with the involvement of the father (OR 0.3; 0.2-0.6). Factors that contributed most to dissatisfaction with antenatal care overall were deficiency in information about pregnancy related issues (OR 3.4; 1.3-8.7) and not being taken seriously by the midwife (OR 4.1; 1.6-10.1).

Conclusion: Satisfaction with antenatal care was high in both groups of women. Australian women were more satisfied than the Swedish women with the emotional aspects of care. Deficiencies were found in more than half of the variables measured relating to the specific aspects of care. Lack of information and not being treated seriously were important factors for not being satisfied.