Patient-centered early pregnancy care: a systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies on the perspectives of women and their partners

BACKGROUND: Early pregnancy complications, defined as miscarriage, recurrent miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, affect the physical and psychological well-being of intended parents. Research in this field so far has focused mainly on improving accuracy of diagnostic tests and safety and effectiveness of therapeutic management. An overview of aspects of care valued by women and/or their partners is missing. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE: This systematic review aims to provide an overview of aspects of care valued by women and/or their partners faced with early pregnancy complications and to identify potential targets for improvement in early pregnancy healthcare. SEARCH METHODS: We searched five electronic databases for empirical quantitative or qualitative studies on patients' perspectives of early pregnancy care in July 2017. We first identified aspects of early pregnancy care valued by women and/or their partners based on qualitative and quantitative data and organized these aspects of care according to the eight dimensions of patient-centered care. Second, we extracted the assessment of service quality from women and/or their partners on each of these aspects of care based on quantitative data. Third, we combined the findings on patients' values with the findings of service quality assessment to identify potential targets for improvement in five groups according to how likely these targets are to require improvement. OUTCOMES: The search yielded 6240 publications, of which 27 studies were eligible for inclusion in this review. All included studies focused on miscarriage or recurrent miscarriage care. We identified 24 valued aspects of care, which all covered the eight dimensions of patient-centered care. The most frequently reported valued aspect was 'being treated as an individual person experiencing a significant life event rather than a common condition'. Assessment of service quality from women and/or their partners was available for 13 of the 24 identified aspects of care. Quantitative studies all documented service quality as problematic for these 13 aspects of care. We thus identified 13 potential targets for improvement in the patient-centeredness of miscarriage and recurrent miscarriage care of which none were very likely, four were likely, six were unlikely and three were very unlikely, to require improvement. The four likely potential targets for improvement were 'Understandable information provision about the etiology of pregnancy', 'Staff discussing patients' distress', 'Informing patients on pregnancy loss in the presence of a friend or partner' and 'Staff performing follow-up phone calls to support their patients after a miscarriage'. WIDER IMPLICATIONS: It is important for clinicians to realize that women and their partners undergoing a miscarriage experience a significant live event and appreciate an individual approach. Future qualitative studies are needed to explore the identified potential targets for improvement of (recurrent) miscarriage care and to explore patients' perspectives in women suspected and treated for ectopic pregnancy.