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Table 1 Mean, standard deviation and distributional characteristics of pregnancy, labour and birth, and postnatal scale items in split-half exploratory factor analysis dataset (N = 225)

From: Women’s experiences of maternity care in England: preliminary development of a standard measure

Item

 

Mean

SD

Min.

Max.

Skew

Kurtosis

Pregnancy scale

EMC1

I felt I had the right number of antenatal checks with a midwife/doctor

3.29

1.03

0

4

−1.61

1.88

 EMC2

I did not have enough choice about my care during pregnancy (e.g. who you saw, where and when)

2.50

1.33

0

4

−0.30

−1.19

EMC3

My care provider(s) gave me all the information I needed

3.21

1.02

0

4

−1.38

1.22

EMC4

I always saw the same midwife/doctor for my antenatal checks

2.17

1.60

0

4

−0.19

−1.60

 EMC5

I was not able to contact my midwife or other health professional when I needed to

3.02

1.25

0

4

−1.00

−0.25

 EMC6

I was not always treated with respect and kindness by health professionals

3.18

1.34

0

4

−1.42

0.51

EMC7

Health professionals did not always talk to me in a way I could understand

3.48

0.90

0

4

−1.78

2.44

EMC8

Antenatal appointments were too short to discuss any concerns about my pregnancy

3.27

1.07

0

4

−1.39

1.01

 EMC9

I was able to speak to a health professional about any worries or sensitive issues.

3.27

1.08

0

4

−1.69

2.22

EMC10

I was not involved enough in decisions about my antenatal care

3.19

1.11

0

4

−1.09

−0.01

 EMC11

I felt listened to when I talked to my care provider about my pregnancy and birth

3.21

1.07

0

4

−1.54

1.80

EMC12

I was happy with the number of health professionals who cared for me during my pregnancy

3.06

1.14

0

4

−1.10

0.23

EMC13

I was not given enough explanations about the antenatal scans and tests

3.16

1.15

0

4

−1.25

0.53

EMC14

I was not given enough information to make decisions about my antenatal care

3.26

1.09

0

4

−1.34

0.79

 EMC15

Seeing different midwives/doctors for antenatal care did not matter to me

1.95

1.30

0

4

0.14

−1.17

EMC16

I would have liked more antenatal checks and scans

2.24

1.32

0

4

−0.14

−1.14

 EMC17

During pregnancy I was given enough information about where I could give birth to my baby (e.g. home, hospital, midwife unit)

3.09

1.07

0

4

−1.01

0.06

 EMC18

Health professionals always treated me as an individual

3.36

0.91

0

4

−1.72

3.01

EMC19

During pregnancy, I did not feel well cared for by health professionals

3.43

0.99

0

4

−1.92

3.07

EMC20

Overall, I was very pleased with the care I received in pregnancy

3.40

0.89

0

4

−1.86

3.73

Labour and birth scale

 EMC21

Before my labour and birth I was well informed by my midwife/doctor about what would happen

3.25

0.97

0

4

−1.39

1.46

EMC22

Staff communicated well with me during labour and birth

3.37

1.00

0

4

−1.72

2.27

 EMC23

My choices for labour and birth were not always respected

3.21

1.15

0

4

−1.43

1.13

EMC24

I needed more staff support during labour and birth

3.16

1.23

0

4

−1.28

0.41

EMC25

Everything was explained to me well during labour and birth

3.29

0.99

0

4

−1.50

1.59

EMC26

I was treated as an individual by staff

3.50

0.85

0

4

−2.11

4.68

EMC27

I was not involved enough in decisions about procedures that were carried out ( e.g. breaking waters, epidural, caesarean section)

3.28

1.06

0

4

−1.37

1.00

EMC28

Health professionals left me alone more than I would have liked

3.08

1.22

0

4

−1.08

−0.13

EMC29

I felt that my pain relief needs were not managed well

3.07

1.27

0

4

−1.13

0.01

 EMC30

I had already met the staff who looked after me during labour and birth

0.76

1.33

0

4

1.50

0.73

EMC31

I felt safe in the labour and birth environment

3.41

0.91

0

4

−1.73

2.59

 EMC32

Staff did not listen to my requests in managing my labour and birth

3.33

1.07

0

4

−1.51

1.32

EMC33

The staff could have done more to help me to feel in control of my labour and birth

3.10

1.28

0

4

−1.11

−0.18

EMC34

I had confidence and trust in the staff caring for me

3.44

0.91

0

4

−1.82

2.87

 EMC35

Health professionals helped make labour and birth a really positive experience

3.17

1.04

0

4

−1.27

1.03

 EMC36

The personal care I received could have been better during labour and birth

3.00

1.31

0

4

−1.01

−0.39

EMC37

I did not mind being looked after by midwives or doctors I had not met before

3.00

1.08

0

4

−1.12

0.66

 EMC38

The choices I wanted were not available to me

2.92

1.40

0

4

−0.87

− 0.74

 EMC39

My labour and birth experience was not as I expected

2.00

1.44

0

4

0.10

−1.30

EMC40

I had the best possible care during labour and birth

3.37

0.95

0

4

−1.86

3.44

Postnatal scale

EMC41

I received enough care and attention from staff on the postnatal ward

2.72

1.23

0

4

−0.71

−0.68

EMC42

I stayed in hospital as long as I wanted after the birth

2.78

1.35

0

4

−0.76

−0.74

 EMC43

Staff on the postnatal ward did not respond when I needed them

2.76

1.29

0

4

−0.55

−1.11

 EMC44

I was not able to make choices about the postnatal care of me and my baby

2.97

1.22

0

4

−0.81

− 0.62

EMC45

I was treated as an individual by midwives/doctors after the birth

3.10

1.16

0

4

−1.25

0.62

EMC46

After I had given birth, health professionals treated me as though I was no longer important

2.98

1.27

0

4

−0.96

−0.42

 EMC47

I did not know the midwives I saw after bringing my baby home

1.74

1.59

0

4

0.37

−1.47

EMC48

I had enough information from health professionals about how to care for my baby

3.10

1.06

0

4

−1.21

0.81

 EMC49

I felt comfortable speaking with healthcare professionals about how I was feeling

3.31

0.96

0

4

−1.61

2.27

 EMC50

The health professionals I saw after the birth did not really listen to me

3.32

0.95

0

4

−1.45

1.61

 EMC51

I would have liked to have seen midwives more after the birth

2.49

1.37

0

4

−0.45

−1.03

EMC52

I was able to build a good relationship with the healthcare professional(s) I saw after coming home

2.49

1.29

0

4

−0.36

−1.05

EMC53

I was not given the advice and information I needed by health professionals after my baby was born

3.18

1.02

0

4

−1.17

0.58

EMC54

There was not enough time to talk over my concerns with health professionals

3.17

1.10

0

4

−1.10

0.14

 EMC55

The advice I received from healthcare professionals about caring for my baby was consistent

2.67

1.28

0

4

−0.77

−0.53

EMC56

I had all the checks I needed after the birth

3.13

1.15

0

4

−1.33

0.76

EMC57

After the birth of my baby, I knew who to contact if I had questions or concerns

3.38

0.94

0

4

−1.71

2.48

 EMC58

As a mother of a new baby I did not feel cared for and supported enough by health professionals

3.25

1.01

0

4

−1.20

0.55

EMC59

The postnatal care I received did not meet the needs of me and my baby

3.19

1.13

0

4

−1.23

0.44

EMC60

Overall I was very pleased with the quality of my postnatal care

3.13

0.99

0

4

−1.17

0.81

  1. Items in bold were retained for the 36 item measure