ATTENDERS AND NONATTENDERS AT CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION CLASSES IN AUSTRALIA - HOW DO THEY AND THEIR BIRTHS DIFFER

This study assessed the associations between attendance at childbirth preparation classes and the health behaviors, birth events, satisfacti on with care, and later emotional well-being of women having their fir st child. A postal survey was conducted of a population-based cohort o f 1193 women who gave birth in two weeks in 1989 in Victoria, Australi a. The response was 71.4 percent (790/1107). Classes were attended by 245 (83.9%) of 292 primiparous women. Those who did not attend were si gnificantly more likely to be under age 25 years, not to have complete d secondary education, to be single, to have a low family income and n o health insurance, and to be public hospital clinic patients. Differe nces between women who attended classes and those who did not, with re spect to measures of pain and to the use of procedures, interventions, and pain relief, were rare and minor. No differences occurred between the groups in their satisfaction with the provision of information th rough pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period. Only one of five mea sures of satisfaction with care was less favorable in nonattenders. At tenders were not more confident about looking after their infants al h ome or less likely to be depressed eight months after birth. Significa nt differences occurred between the groups on four health behaviors: c igarette smoking, missed antenatal appointments, breastfeeding, and al cohol consumption during pregnancy. Attendance at childbirth preparati on classes in Victoria is not associated with differences in birth eve nts, satisfaction with care, or emotional well-being among women havin g their first child.