To Örebro University

INTRODUCTION: A woman's childbirth experience is multifaceted and has a great impact on not only the woman, but also the family's health and well-being. Changes in childbirth experience over time have been evaluated with a variety of instruments, at different time points, and with inconsistent findings. In Sweden, the rating of birth experience is routinely collected after birth, but it is still unknown which time point is preferred from a clinical perspective. The primary aim was to investigate changes in childbirth experience over time from childbirth to 6 months postpartum, assessed by both a single and a multi-item instrument. A secondary aim was to test the correlation between these instruments.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a prospective cohort study, 320 women were recruited from two Swedish hospitals. Study participants completed a survey at the maternity ward after giving birth, and again three and 6 months postpartum, rating their overall childbirth experience on a single item 10-point numeric rating scale (NRS) and a multi-item instrument, the Childbirth Experience Questionnaire 2 (CEQ2), encompassing four known dimensions of childbirth: Perceived safety, Own capacity, Participation and Professional support. Changes in childbirth experience (NRS and CEQ2) over time were analyzed using the Friedman test. NRS ratings were analyzed in relation to CEQ2 dimensions with Spearman's correlation. RESULTS: Overall childbirth experience rated using NRS did not change over time. The total CEQ2 score decreased significantly from childbirth to 6 months postpartum (p < 0.001). This change was driven by decreased scoring of the domains Participation and Professional support. The correlations between NRS and CEQ scores were consistent over time, with a moderate to weak correlation of NRS with Participation and Professional support.

CONCLUSIONS: Women perceive their birthing experience more negatively over time when assessed using the CEQ2 questionnaire, but this was not captured by a single-item question assessing overall childbirth experience.

INTRODUCTION: Investigating factors associated with contraceptive satisfaction is important to create a basis for tailored contraceptive counseling. In this study, we aimed to explore how sociodemographic characteristics affected women's level of satisfaction and choice of different contraceptive methods, using data collected during a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in the region Örebro County, Sweden.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study utilized data from a previously conducted RCT. Eligible participants were women aged 20-40 years who sought contraceptive counseling. All women who participated in the RCT and completed a follow-up questionnaire were included in the analysis.

RESULTS: Between February 2015 and March 2016, 1,946, participants were enrolled in the trial, with 1,198 (61.6%) completing the 2-month follow-up questionnaire. Overall, 81.3% of women reported being 'very satisfied' or 'satisfied' with their contraceptive method. Participants aged 27-40 years used long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) to a higher extent compared with those aged 20-26 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.44-2.56). Older age was associated with lower satisfaction (aOR 0.55, 95% CI 0.33-0.94).Participants with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 more often used LARC (aOR 1.68, 95% CI 1.24-2.28) but were also more likely to report no use of contraceptives at all (aOR 1.56, 95% CI 1.01-2.43) compared with BMI < 25. The level of satisfaction tended to decrease with increasing BMI. Country of birth and educational level were not associated with satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS: The use of LARC was more common among women with BMI ≥ 25 and older women. While BMI, education, and place of birth did not affect satisfaction, women aged 27-40 reported lower satisfaction. These findings contrast with prior studies and highlight the complex sociodemographic influences on contraception experiences.

INTRODUCTION: It is unclear whether tobacco in early pregnancy and alcohol use preceding pregnancy are associated with spontaneous abortion. The purpose was to investigate if use of tobacco and/or alcohol is associated with spontaneous abortion among women attending antenatal care, and if age and body mass index (BMI) attenuate the risk.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A population-based cohort study based on data from the Swedish Pregnancy Register. All pregnant women having had the first antenatal visit from January 2014 to July 2018 were included (n = 525 604). The register had information about smoking and use of snuff before and in early pregnancy, as well as data on alcohol habits before pregnancy, measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), a validated questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between lifestyle factors and spontaneous abortion, and multiple imputation was used to impute missing data.

RESULTS: In total, 34 867 (6.6%) pregnancies ended in a spontaneous abortion after the first visit to maternal health care. At the first maternal healthcare visit, daily smoking was reported by 24 214 (5.1%), and 6403 (1.2%) used snuff. For 19 837 (4.2%) women, a high alcohol score was reported for the year preceding pregnancy. After adjusting for potential confounders and multiple imputation, use of tobacco was associated with spontaneous abortion; smoking 1-9 cigarettes/day (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.18), smoking 10 or more cigarettes/day (aOR 1.12, 95% CI 1.-1.26), and use of snuff (aOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.06-1.37). Higher AUDIT scores were not significantly associated with spontaneous abortion (AUDIT 6-9: aOR 1.03, 95% CI 0.97-1.10 and AUDIT 10 or more: aOR 1.07, 95% CI 0.94-1.22). Increasing maternal age showed the highest risk of spontaneous abortion from the age of 35, and BMI of 30 kg/m² or more increased the risk. There were interactions between different lifestyle factors associated with spontaneous abortion that could either increase or decrease the risk of spontaneous abortion.

CONCLUSIONS: Smoking and use of snuff were associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion. The AUDIT scores preceding pregnancy were not associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion, which contradicts the results from previous studies.

Preconception health is an important topic since women and men have a possibility to change lifestyle habits preceding pregnancies, to increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy and child. The aim of this thesis was to increase knowledge about fertility and awareness of preconception health. 

Studies I and II were based on a randomised controlled trial among women who visited midwives for contraceptives counselling. Questionnaires were used before and after an intervention with the Reproductive Life plan (RLP), which is a discussion tool for preconception health. Study I showed that women do not always use a contraceptive that is suitable for their reproductive intentions and Study II indicated that women´s knowledge about fertility and awareness of preconception health increased with RLP-counselling (RLPC). Study II also showed that women appreciated the RLPC by the midwives.

In studies III and IV, data from the Swedish Pregnancy Register were used. The main findings in Study III were that smoking, and use of snuff, in early pregnancy and risk consuming of alcohol the year preceding pregnancy were associated with spontaneous abortion (SA). Study IV showed that heavy alcohol consumption the year preceding pregnancy was associated with lower Apgar-score and might have been associated with lower birth weight. 

The studies contribute important new knowledge about lifestyle factors preceding pregnancy. It is important to highlight this new knowledge together with other factors about preconception health to midwives and other healthcare providers. Preconception counselling is also needed to increase women´s (and men´s) knowledge. There is still a lack of knowledge in the field, but it is a golden opportunity for midwives to start talking about reproductive health during contraception counselling.

Background: Reproductive life plan counseling (RLPC) is a tool to encourage women and men to reflect upon their reproduction, to avoid unintended pregnancies and negative health behavior that can threaten reproduction. The aim was to evaluate the effect of RLPC among women attending contraceptive counseling. Outcomes were knowledge about fertility and awareness of preconception health, use of contraception, and women's experience of RLPC.

Material and methods: Swedish-speaking women, aged 20-40 years, were randomized to intervention group (IG) or control group (CG). Participants (n = 1,946) answered a questionnaire before and two months after (n = 1,198, 62%) the consultation. All women received standard contraceptive counseling, and the IG also received the RLPC, i.e. questions on reproductive intentions, information about fertility, and preconception health.

Results: Women in the IG increased their knowledge about fertility: age and fertility, chances of getting pregnant, fecundity of an ovum, and chances of having a child with help of IVF. They also increased their awareness of factors affecting preconception health, such as to stop using tobacco, to refrain from alcohol, to be of normal weight, and to start with folic acid before a pregnancy. The most commonly used contraceptive method was combined oral contraceptives, followed by long-acting reversible contraception. Three out of four women (76%) in the IG stated that the RLPC should be part of the routine in contraceptive counseling.

Conclusions: Knowledge about fertility and awareness of preconception health increased after the intervention. The RLPC can be recommended as a tool in contraceptive counseling.

Introduction: Limited attention has been paid to the use of contraception in relation to women's family planning intentions. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of contraception during the most recent intercourse as well as the reproductive intentions of Swedish-speaking women requesting contraceptive counseling.

Material and methods: Across-sectional baseline survey in a randomized controlled trial regarding reproductive life planning (before randomization). Women requesting contraceptive counseling answered questions about contraception and whether they wanted to have children/more children in the future.

Results: In total, 1946 women participated: 33.7% (n = 656) parous and 65.7% (n = 1279) nulliparous. The majority, 87.1% (n = 1682), had used contraception during their latest intercourse; 64.6% (n = 1239) used short-acting reversible contraception, 22.8% (n = 443) used long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), and 12.9% (n = 251) had not used any contraception. A combined oral contraceptive was more common among nulliparous and LARC among parous. Among all women, 64.8% (n = 1253) intended to have children/more children in the future, among parous women 35.7% (n = 220) and among nulliparous 80.0% (n = 1033). Among women who did not intend to have children/more children, 22.6% (n = 60) of parous and 10% (n = 8) of nulliparous had not used contraceptives during their most recent intercourse.

Conclusions: Women did not always use contraceptives that were suitable for their reproductive intentions. Questioning women who request contraceptive counseling about their pregnancy intention can give healthcare providers better opportunities for individualized counseling.