title: Women's experiences of outpatient induction of labour with remote continuous monitoring.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to gain insight into women's experiences and preferences for induction in the home as part of a trial investigating the feasibility and acceptability of outpatient induction of labour with remote monitoring.
  
  
  METHODS
  a qualitative study using semi-structured individual interviews. Interview transcripts were subjected to thematic analysis to identify the dominant themes regarding women's experiences of outpatient induction.
  
  
  METHODS
  a large maternity hospital in the North West of England.
  
  
  METHODS
  fifteen women who participated in the main trial of outpatient induction of labour with remote continuous monitoring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  three main themes were identified; the need for women to 'labour within their comfort zone'; their desire to achieve 'the next best thing to a normal labour' and the importance of a 'virtual presence' to offer remote reassurance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  women's preference for the outpatient setting of induction of labour is dominated by their need to labour within their comfort zone. Outpatient induction offered women the familiarity and freedom of the home environment, and the resulting physical and emotional comforts helped women cope better with their labour and improved their birth experiences. While remote monitoring offered some reassurance, women still depended on effective communication from hospital staff to provide the virtual presence of a health professional in the home.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the combination of slow-release prostaglandin and a remote monitoring device may provide low risk women with an improved induction and labour experience. While ongoing studies continue to explore further the safety of interventions at home, this study has importantly considered women's views and confirmed that induction at home is not only acceptable to women but also that the outpatient experience is preferable to long inpatient inductions.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. ediri.obrien@manchester.ac.uk
authors.forename: Ediri
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Zubair
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rauf
authors.forename: Zarko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Alfirevic
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lavender
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D018575:Home Care Services, Hospital-Based; D006700:Home Childbirth / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007751:Labor, Induced / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D010045:Outpatients; D057240:Patient Preference; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom