Mothers’ perspectives on the potential use of video-calling during early labour in the United Kingdom and Italy: A qualitative study

Problem: Women in early labour are typically encouraged to delay maternity unit admission, but they may find this challenging without appropriate professional support. Background: Despite pre-pandemic research which identified potential advantages of video-calling in early labour, implementation of such service has not been reported. Aim: To explore mothers’ perspectives on potential use of video-calls during early labour. Methods: A multi-centre descriptive qualitative study was undertaken in UK and Italy. Ethical approval was gained and ethical processes were followed. Six virtual focus groups were conducted with 37 participants, 24 mothers who gave birth in the UK and 13 who gave birth in Italy. Line-by-line thematic analysis was performed and themes agreed. Findings: Two themes emerged: 1) women's expectations of video-calls’ content and features; 2) technological challenges and solutions. Mothers responded positively to the concept of video-calling in early labour. Receiving guidance, information on coping with pain and advice on timely access in early labour was perceived as key. Women highlighted the importance of accessible, reliable and user-friendly technology. Equitable access, technological literacy, acceptability and privacy were considered as challenges to implementation, with solutions proposed to overcome disparities. Discussion and conclusion: Guidance and training should be provided to midwives, with designated resources to build a service that is accessible, acceptable, safe, individualised and respectful for mothers and birth companions. Further research should explore feasibility, acceptability, clinical and cost-effectiveness.