Early antenatal counseling in the outpatient setting for high-risk pregnancies: a randomized control trial

Objectives: Determine if antenatal counseling delivered in the outpatient setting improves parental knowledge and satisfaction without contributing to anxiety. Study design: Randomized control trial at a large academic institution. Mothers at risk for preterm delivery were enrolled following routine maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) visits and randomized to early antenatal counseling of prematurity or standard counseling by MFM providers. The primary outcome was parental knowledge of prematurity. Secondary outcomes included parental satisfaction, anxiety scores, and compliance with recommended follow-up. Results: Seventy-six women were enrolled, 38 in each group. Early counseling group had higher knowledge scores (86.3 vs 64.3, p = <0.001) and parental satisfaction (p = 0.003). Anxiety scores were similar between the two groups (38.2 vs 40.4, p = 0.53). No difference was noted in compliance with follow-up. Conclusions: Antenatal counseling in the high-risk outpatient setting improved parental knowledge and satisfaction without leading to increased anxiety.