Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Midwifery Science, AVAG, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, P.O. Box 7057, 1007, MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Medical Humanities and the Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2019 Sep 2;19(1):319. doi: 10.1186/s12884-019-2470-9.
Studies showed that pregnant women generally value routine ultrasounds in the first two trimesters because these provide reassurance and a chance to see their unborn baby. This, in turn, might help to decrease maternal anxiety levels and increase the bond with the baby. However, it is unclear whether pregnant women hold the same positive views about a third trimester routine ultrasound, which is increasingly being used in the Netherlands as a screening tool to monitor fetal growth. The aim of this study was to explore pregnant women's experiences with a third trimester routine ultrasound.
We held semi-structured interviews with fifteen low-risk pregnant women who received a third trimester routine ultrasound in the context of the Dutch IUGR RIsk Selection (IRIS) study. The IRIS study is a nationwide cluster randomized controlled trial carried out among more than 13,000 women to examine the effectiveness of a third trimester routine ultrasound to monitor fetal growth. For the interviews, participants were purposively selected based on parity, age, ethnicity, and educational level. We performed thematic content analysis using MAXQDA.
Most pregnant women appreciated a third trimester routine ultrasound because it provided them confirmation that their baby was fine and an extra opportunity to see their baby. At the same time they expressed that they already felt confident about the health of their baby, and did not feel that their bond with their baby had increased after the third trimester ultrasound. Women also reported that they were getting used to routine ultrasounds throughout their pregnancy, and that this increased their need for another one.
Pregnant women seem to appreciate a third trimester routine ultrasound, but it does not seem to reduce anxiety or to improve bonding with their baby. Women's appreciation of a third trimester routine ultrasound might arise from getting used to routine ultrasounds throughout pregnancy. We recommend to examine the psychological impact of third trimester routine ultrasounds in future studies. Results should be taken into consideration when balancing the gains, which are as yet not clear, of introducing a third trimester routine ultrasound against unwanted side effects and costs.
研究表明，孕妇通常重视孕早期和孕中期的常规超声检查，因为这能让她们感到安心，并有机会看到腹中胎儿。这反过来可能有助于降低孕妇的焦虑水平，增加与胎儿的联系。然而，目前尚不清楚孕妇是否对越来越多的荷兰用于监测胎儿生长的筛查工具——孕晚期常规超声检查持有相同的积极看法。本研究旨在探讨孕妇对孕晚期常规超声检查的体验。
我们对半结构访谈了 15 名低风险孕妇，她们在荷兰 IUGR RIsk Selection（IRIS）研究中接受了孕晚期常规超声检查。IRIS 研究是一项全国性的集群随机对照试验，在 13000 多名女性中开展，以检验孕晚期常规超声检查监测胎儿生长的有效性。根据生育次数、年龄、种族和教育水平，采用目的抽样法选择参与者进行访谈。我们使用 MAXQDA 进行主题内容分析。
大多数孕妇认为孕晚期常规超声检查很有价值，因为它能让她们确认胎儿健康，并额外有机会看到胎儿。与此同时，她们表示自己已经对胎儿的健康状况有信心，且在接受孕晚期超声检查后，与胎儿的联系并没有增强。女性还报告说，她们在整个孕期已经习惯了常规超声检查，这增加了她们对再次进行超声检查的需求。
孕妇似乎对孕晚期常规超声检查表示赞赏，但它似乎并不能减轻焦虑或改善与胎儿的联系。女性对孕晚期常规超声检查的赞赏可能源于在整个孕期对常规超声检查的习惯。我们建议在未来的研究中检查孕晚期常规超声检查的心理影响。在权衡引入孕晚期常规超声检查的收益（目前尚不清楚）与不必要的副作用和成本时，应考虑这些结果。
