title: [Group counselling for the second trimester ultrasound: can group counselling be an alternative for individual counselling?].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare group counselling to individual counselling with respect to the second trimester ultrasound.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort study at two hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  At one hospital, 100 pregnant women were counselled on the risks and benefits of the second trimester ultrasound in groups of up to 15 patients. Shortly before the ultrasound they were asked to fill out a questionnaire. Results were compared to 100 women who were counselled individually at another hospital. The primary outcome was the level of informed choice whether or not to undergo the ultrasound, defined as sufficient knowledge and a value-consistent decision. The secondary outcome measures were level of understanding of the second trimester ultrasound and the degree of satisfaction with the counselling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The resulting level of informed choice was 87.0% after group counselling compared to 79.4% after individual counselling (p = 0.47). The mean knowledge score was 8.8 for the women who attended group counselling; women who were individually counselled had a mean score of 7.4 (p < 0.001). Satisfaction with counselling was 7.0 for group counselling and 6.2 for individual counselling (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there was no statistically significant difference in the level of informed choice, group counselling was associated with higher post-counselling knowledge and satisfaction scores. Group counselling should therefore be considered as an alternative counselling method.
authors.affiliation: Diakonessenhuis, afd. Gynaecologie en Obstetrie, Utrecht, the Netherlands. h.delau@gmail.com
authors.forename: Hinke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: de Lau
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Depmann
authors.forename: Yvo J M
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Laeven
authors.forename: Philip  H
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stoutenbeek
authors.forename: Lou R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Pistorius
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Beek
authors.forename: Nico W E
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Schuitemaker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002755:Choice Behavior; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010298:Parity; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data