Development of the Preparation for Community-Based Labor and Birth Instrument Centering Black Perspectives in the...

Community-based birth supported by midwives and nurses is increasing in the United States amid stark racial disparities in maternal outcomes and worsening access to pregnancy care. Although studies examining prenatal confidence have shown that persons with higher confidence are more likely to give birth vaginally, reporting less pain, anxiety, and dissatisfaction, existing measurement tools have focused on hospital births. Accordingly, we adapted the previously validated Preparation for Labor and Birth (P-LAB) instrument, which measures third-trimester confidence for physiologic birth, for community-based births, centering the perspectives of Black populations.

Expert stakeholders (N = 5) including practicing midwives and maternal health researchers assessed the relevance and completeness of the P-LAB. Following individual reviews, stakeholders adapted the tool during a group review session. Virtual cognitive interviews were then conducted with community stakeholders (N = 10), prenatal and newly postpartum persons, to test comprehensibility, informing further adaptation of P-LAB items. Findings were summarized and analyzed using an abbreviated framework method. A subset of community stakeholders (N = 5) pretested the final instrument for redundancy and appropriateness.

The iterative adaptation process informed removal of irrelevant items (N = 6), further clarification of existing items (N = 12), and the generation of additional items (N = 7). The final instrument, the Preparation for Community-Based Labor and Birth (P-CLAB), is a 23-item, Likert-response survey. Expert stakeholder engagement resulted in replacing medication-focused measures with items related to safety, dignity, and racial concordance while incorporating language aligning with the midwifery model of care. Community stakeholder engagement highlighted unclear items and opportunities to improve relevance.

In addition to promising utility for research, measuring prenatal confidence may equip midwives and nurses to further engage in person-centered care by addressing maternal fears and empowering patients according to their specific needs. The participatory P-CLAB adaptation enhances the instrument's utility and applicability to community-based care settings.