Women's experience of transfer from community-based to consultant-based maternity care.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate women's experience of transfer from community-based to consultant obstetric care.


METHODS
Semi-structured interviews three to eight weeks postnatally, which were taped, transcribed and analysed according to grounded theory.


METHODS
Community-based maternity service, Sheffield, England.


METHODS
Twelve women who had been transferred to consultant care in late pregnancy or labour.


METHODS
Categories which described and explained women's experience and that could be validated by checking back against the interview data.


RESULTS
There was a strong potential for disappointment with their labours, but this could be ameliorated by certain aspects of care, namely information and explanation, debriefing, and continuity of care.


CONCLUSIONS
Transfer is an inevitable consequence for a proportion of community-booked women but need not be a negative experience, with appropriate care.
Creasy
J M
JM
D000328:Adult; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000592:standards*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000592:standards*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010360:Patient Transfer; D011247:Pregnancy; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires