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Table 2 Proportion of participants who rated each information item as ‘important’ or ‘extremely important’ (n=146)

From: Delivering information: A descriptive study of Australian women’s information needs for decision-making about birth facility

 

Important

Extremely Important

Important or Extremely Important

Information Item

Freq

%

Freq

%

Freq

%

12. Can my support people (e.g., partner, companion) be in the birth room when I’m having my baby?

5

3.4%

141

96.6%

146

100.0%

10. Would other women recommend this facility to their friends?

57

39.0%

84

57.5%

141

96.6%

17. Can I choose what position I want to be in during my labour and birth here (e.g., squatting, sitting, moving around)?

28

19.2%

112

76.7%

140

95.9%

7. How ‘nice’ is this facility (e.g., clean, 'new', etc)?

69

47.3%

67

45.9%

136

93.2%

38. Will my support people (e.g., partner, companion) be made to feel welcome?

61

41.8%

74

50.7%

135

92.5%

31. Does this facility have an intensive care unit for babies (i.e., a ‘NICU’)?

32

22.1%

101

69.7%

133

91.7%

20. What models of care are offered at this facility?

62

44.9%

62

44.9%

124

89.9%

2. Is this facility close to my home?

66

45.2%

64

43.8%

130

89.0%

41. Can I discuss my birth plan with my care provider?

61

42.4%

66

45.8%

127

88.2%

13. Can my partner stay overnight (and is there a cost for this)?

34

23.3%

94

64.4%

128

87.7%

28. What methods of pain relief can I have?

56

38.4%

72

49.3%

128

87.7%

6. How many care providers are there per woman at this facility?

67

45.9%

59

40.4%

126

86.3%

25. Are classes about how to breastfeed my baby offered?

57

39.3%

67

46.2%

124

85.5%

9. How many nights after birth can I stay?

74

51.0%

49

33.8%

123

84.8%

42. How many women have skin-to-skin contact with their baby straight after birth?

28

19.3%

94

64.8%

122

84.1%

4. Are tours of the facility available beforehand?

76

52.1%

43

29.5%

119

81.5%

18. Can I ask to have an epidural for pain management?

44

30.1%

74

50.7%

118

80.8%

24. Are prenatal and postnatal classes offered here?

73

50.0%

44

30.1%

117

80.1%

27. Can I have a private room?

47

32.2%

69

47.3%

116

79.5%

30. Can this facility provide “high-tech” care?

34

25.8%

70

53.0%

104

78.8%

19. Can I have a vaginal birth at this facility if I have had a caesarean section ('C-section') before?

39

26.9%

75

51.7%

114

78.6%

39. How long will I need to wait for a ‘booking appointment’?

77

54.6%

25

17.7%

102

72.3%

16. Does my private health insurance cover births in this facility?

30

20.5%

75

51.4%

105

71.9%

21. Is shared care offered?

63

48.1%

31

23.7%

94

71.8%

26. Does this facility have a midwifery group practice model?

44

33.8%

48

36.9%

92

70.8%

3. Is there ample parking?

76

52.1%

21

14.4%

97

66.4%

37. How long will I need to wait in the waiting room when I have appointments?

66

45.2%

29

19.9%

95

65.1%

33. How many women have caesarean sections (‘C-sections’) here?

54

37.0%

38

26.0%

92

63.0%

15. If the facility is a public facility, can I be cared for as a private patient?

52

35.9%

36

24.8%

88

60.7%

32. Does this facility supply things like nappies and soap, or will I have to bring them myself?

63

43.2%

25

17.1%

88

60.3%

1. What are the visiting hours?

70

47.9%

17

11.6%

87

59.6%

40. Can I be cared for by a female care provider if I want to?

62

42.5%

24

16.4%

86

58.9%

34. How many women have their labour induced here?

50

34.2%

35

24.0%

85

58.2%

14. Can women from anywhere birth in this facility?

53

36.6%

30

20.7%

83

57.2%

35. How many women have an episiotomy here?

38

26.4%

40

27.8%

78

54.2%

11. I live far away from a maternity facility - is there somewhere nearby where my family can stay?

57

39.9%

20

14.0%

77

53.8%

8. What is the food like?

61

41.8%

14

9.6%

75

51.4%

36. How many women have a vaginal tear here?

42

28.8%

33

22.6%

75

51.4%

5. How many women have a baby here each year?

60

42.0%

9

6.3%

69

48.3%

29. Are childcare facilities available for my other children while I have my baby?

46

31.5%

14

9.6%

60

41.1%

22. Can my baby stay in the nursery on the first night after birth?

40

27.8%

16

11.1%

56

38.9%

23. Are there social areas set-up where I can meet and talk to other mums?

46

31.7%

8

5.5%

54

37.2%