No abstract

Perinatal well-being is dynamic, complex and multi-dimensional  There is a lack of theorising about well-being, particularly in labour and birth  There is a need for a comprehensive model of perinatal well-being  Perinatal well-being does not exist in a vacuum but within a wider life context  Themes identified contribute to a tentative model of perinatal well-being

This study uses research evaluation data to explore parents' expectations from antenatal classes as they transition from pregnancy to the post-natal period. Understanding parents' expectations over this time with respect to knowledge and skills provides an opportunity to tailor antenatal classes more closely to the needs of parents. Equally, it is important to understand, if, and how, these expectations are met during the transition to parenthood. Understanding parents expectations of antenatal classes, and exploring the value of classes amongst attendees has the potential to result in improved attendance, reduced dropout rates and overall greater satisfaction. This paper, which explores whether a programme of antenatal classes meets parents expectations across the transmission to parenthood adds to the existing body of research about the preparation needs of parents in early parenthood.

Depression, anxiety and stress in the perinatal period can have serious, long-term consequences for women, their babies and their families. Over the last two decades, an increasing number of group interventions with a psychological approach have been developed to improve the psychological well-being of pregnant women. This systematic review examines interventions targeting women with elevated symptoms of, or at risk of developing, perinatal mental health problems, with the aim of understanding the successful and unsuccessful features of these interventions. We systematically searched online databases to retrieve qualitative and quantitative studies on psychological antenatal group interventions. A total number of 19 papers describing 15 studies were identified; these included interventions based on cognitive behavioural therapy, interpersonal therapy and mindfulness. Quantitative findings suggested beneficial effects in some studies, particularly for women with high baseline symptoms. However, overall there is insufficient quantitative evidence to make a general recommendation for antenatal group interventions. Qualitative findings suggest that women and their partners experience these interventions positively in terms of psychological wellbeing and providing reassurance of their ‘normality’. This review suggests that there are some benefits to attending group interventions, but further research is required to fully understand their successful and unsuccessful features.

The proposed framework was confirmed and can be used to inform practice, policy and research.