Antenatal care for first time mothers: a discrete choice experiment of women's views on alternative packages of care

Objective: To investigate the views of women in relation to the provision of antenatal care. Methods: A discrete choice experiment using a sample of 100 women who were nulliparous (pregnant for the first time) and attending for routine ultrasound scan in the 20th week of their pregnancy. Results: Women preferred antenatal care visits to be provided by a community midwife at a local clinic and to have 10 visits rather than 7. In addition they favoured the provision of education/preparation for birth, the use of uterine artery Doppler screening, and the provision of a telephone advice line. The results show that women were prepared to trade-off fewer antenatal care visits to ensure access to their packages of antenatal care that reflected their preferences. Conclusions: Whilst the number of antenatal care visits is important to women they may accept fewer visits if antenatal care is provided by midwives and they receive enhanced service provision such as a telephone advice line and uterine artery Doppler screening.