Expert Opinion: Qualitative Research in Obstetrics

Qualitative research is well-suited for understanding clinical decision-making, patient communication, patient experiences, patient education, and implementation within perinatal care. Rigorous qualitative work generates hypotheses, optimizes evidence-based practices, and elevates patient voices to improve clinical outcomes. The goal of this expert review is to highlight how qualitative research already contributes to obstetric clinical practice, opportunities for qualitative research to further deepen its impact, and how perinatal providers can conduct qualitative research not just appropriately, but with scientific rigor. This article also offers an overview of various qualitative data collection strategies, including a description of each, when to consider using the approach, and advantages and disadvantages or other considerations. Challenges to practical application are also posed with potential strategies to avoid pitfalls.