title: Perspectives, preferences and needs regarding early prediction of preeclampsia in Dutch pregnant women: a qualitative study.
abstract: To improve early risk-identification in pregnancy, research on prediction models for common pregnancy complications is ongoing. Therefore, it was the aim of this study to explore pregnant women's perceptions, preferences and needs regarding prediction models for first trimester screening for common pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia, to support future implementation.
  
  
  
  Ten focus groups (of which five with primiparous and five with multiparous women) were conducted (n = 45). Six focus groups were conducted in urban regions and four in rural regions. All focus group discussions were audio taped and NVIVO was used in order to facilitate the thematic analysis conducted by the researchers.
  
  
  
  Women in this study had a positive attitude towards first trimester screening for preeclampsia using prediction models. Reassurance when determined as low-risk was a major need for using the test. Self-monitoring, early recognition and intensive monitoring were considered benefits of using prediction models in case of a high-risk. Women acknowledged that high-risk determination could cause (unnecessary) anxiety, but it was expected that personal and professional interventions would level out this anxiety.
  
  
  
  Women in this study had positive attitudes towards preeclampsia screening. Self-monitoring, together with increased alertness of healthcare professionals, would enable them to take active actions to improve pregnancy outcomes. This attitude enhances the opportunities for prevention, early recognition and treatment of preeclampsia and probably other adverse pregnancy outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Room KE04.123.1, P.O. Box 85090, 3508AB, Utrecht, The Netherlands. N.Crombag@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: Neeltje M T H
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Crombag
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Room KE04.123.1, P.O. Box 85090, 3508AB, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marije
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lamain-de Ruiter
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Room KE04.123.1, P.O. Box 85090, 3508AB, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anneke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kwee
authors.affiliation: Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, Diagnostics and Screening (IDS), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Peter C J I
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Schielen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.|The Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jozien M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bensing
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Room KE04.123.1, P.O. Box 85090, 3508AB, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gerard H A
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Room KE04.123.1, P.O. Box 85090, 3508AB, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Franx
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Room KE04.123.1, P.O. Box 85090, 3508AB, Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Department of obstetrics and gynaecology, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maria P H
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Koster
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D009426:Netherlands; D010298:Parity; D057240:Patient Preference; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D036301:Qualitative Research; D018570:Risk Assessment
keywords: Attitudes; Need; Preeclampsia; Preferences; Qualitative research; Screening