Exploring Antenatal Education: An Interpretive Description

Antenatal education has been normalised in Australian maternity services and is currently delivered within antenatal care services or as formal standalone educational experience for women and their partner or support person. Antenatal education has evolved little over the years. Despite many changes in childbirth and parenting practices, this education still hopes to prepare women for birth and achieve optimal physical health during pregnancy. Despite these developments and the value placed on antenatal education, little is known about the way in which antenatal education activities are developed, implemented or evaluated. The aim of the research was to explore the key factors that influence pedagogy and practice of antenatal education in a range of contexts; and to examine to what extent current antenatal education provides meaningful and effective learning experiences from the perspectives of both the educators and the consumers (class participants). A research methodology of Interpretive Description guided this research study. The methodology produced a qualitative description of experiences from a sample of antenatal educators and consumers of antenatal education. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews with antenatal educators and antenatal class participants. Perspectives and experiences of 18 participants were explored in a total of 25 interviews. In addition to the interviews, educators were asked to discuss an example of a learning activity or learning material that they had used during their class. The researcher included other processes to enhance reflexivity, including learning materials that antenatal educators brought to the interview to discuss, and field notes taken directly after each interview. Interpretive Description was used to gain insight into participants’ perceptions and experiences. It provided the researcher with an opportunity to generate knowledge about antenatal education practice and understand the experiences of the participants involved in the study.Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, 2019