Patient-Reported Burdens of Undergoing Antenatal Fetal Surveillance

Area of Science:

• Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Obstetrics
• Patient Experience Research

Background:

• Antenatal fetal surveillance (AFS) is crucial for high-risk pregnancies to prevent stillbirth.
• Limited data exists on the patient experience and burdens associated with AFS regimens.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe patient-reported burdens of attending AFS.
• To analyze associations between AFS visit frequency, changes over time, and patient characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional survey of patients attending AFS, available in English and Spanish.
• Patients rated life burdens on a 7-point Likert scale across multiple domains.
• Comparison of burden between once-weekly and twice-weekly testing groups; analysis of demographic and clinical factors.

Main Results:

• Nearly half of respondents reported experiencing burden from AFS.
• Twice-weekly AFS was associated with increased interference with work, higher costs, and missed visits compared to once-weekly.
• Patients reporting burden were older, more likely to attend twice-weekly, and have diabetes.

Conclusions:

• This study is the first to document common patient-reported burdens associated with AFS.
• Findings underscore the need for patient-centered approaches and shared decision-making in AFS regimen development.
• Minimizing AFS-related harm while maximizing benefits requires further exploration of patient experiences.