Prenatal consultation after a petal anomaly scan: Videotaped exploration of physician's attitude and patient's satisfaction

The main aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between the phys ician's attitude (using the non-verbal Global Affective Measure of the Rote r Analaysis System and the Counselor Rating Form-short version) and the sat isfaction of the pregnant women with the prenatal consultation. A secondary aim was to evaluate the women's recall of essential information (i.e. loca tion, severity, prognosis and cause of the anomaly). To this end, 24 prenat al consultations (pregnant women, partners and physicians) were videotaped following a fetal anomaly scan, and a few days later, the pregnant women co mpleted questionnaires to assess their perception of the physician's attitu de and their satisfaction with the consultation and the extent to which the y could recall the essentials of the information given about the fetal anom aly. In descending order, the physician's dominance/assertiveness (i.e, being se lf-confident and decisive) (assessment of the videotapes by two psychologis ts), trustworthiness (women's report) and expertise were significantly posi tively associated with the women's overall satisfaction, i.e. satisfaction with the information given and affective behaviour on the part of the physi cian during the prenatal consultation. All the women (n = 24) recalled the essentials of the information given abo ut the location of the fetal anomaly. The majority of them correctly reprod uced the severity, the prognosis and the cause of the anomaly. Our findings indicate that women in whom a fetal anomaly has been detected derive particular benefit from a self-confident, decisive, expert and trust worthy physician. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.