Table 3 For the first questionnaire, summary of responses about what could have been done better
Consent pathway | Allocated group | Sample of comments | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Usual one-stage n = 97 | Two-stage n = 28 | Clamping ≥ 2 min n = 67 | Clamping ≤ 20 s n = 58 | ||
Nothing could have been done better | 67 | 26 | 51 | 42 | ‘There isn't anything that could have been done better’ |
Approach earlier/different time | 4 | 5 | 3 | 6 | ‘I think you could approach patients in earlier stages of labour. I was approached at the point when my contractions were quite strong and frequent and it was quite hard for me to concentrate on the information about the trial’ ‘The point when we were approached about it was a bit of a stressful moment, it probably would have been better another time but it is hard to know when!’ |
Explain afterwards which intervention they received | 4 | – | 3 | 1 | ‘During my section and after the doctors and nurse were at odds as to what they needed to do. That worried me at the time, but everything happened so quickly, I lost track of what happened, and it was never explained as to the outcome, which group he was drawn in’ ‘If I am honest I haven't been told anything about my Cord Trial so I don't know how long they waited? It would be interesting to know’ |
Better staff communication about the trial | 3 | – | 2 | 1 | ‘It didn't seem to be handed to everyone that I was in the Cord Trial. I had to keep telling people I was in the trial. I wanted delayed clamping’ ‘Knowing if you were in the trial before you had the baby. Staff didn’t know when he came out if they could cut the cord or not, as there was a panic to find the envelope’ |
More information | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ‘Maybe explain that if the cord was short, as it was in my case, the baby would be kept on the bed and there was risk her temperature could drop as it did with (baby’s name)’ ‘Perhaps you could make some literature available to mothers who feel they'd like to read it, about delayed cord-clamping. If the mother is anxious at this point, information given verbally only can cover her head?’ |
No randomisation | 1 | 1 | 2 | – | ‘Been able to choose which side you were on, however understand by it was a pick of a hat. So not a problem’ |
Other suggestions | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ‘To be prepared for short cords especially in case of early babies’ ‘To be told at the birth how long it was going to be for, not afterwards’ ‘Arrange times to go back and see a patient—don't turn up to the bed unannounced! To be honest I was under so much stress with severe pre-eclampsia for a second time and this trial just gave me more stress on top and then it turned out not to even be worth it because we didn't get the right envelope!’ |