Big Birthas PSG Participant Information Sheet

Thank you for your interest in taking part in this research. Please read this information carefully and if you want to get involved click on link to the consent form at the bottom of the page.

About the study

We are a group of mothers with a high BMI who are concerned that current NHS practices of support for obese women during pregnancy and labour are not based on evidence. Our research aims to help us understand how the choices are presented to obese women during pregnancy and labour have affected them.

Who can take part

You can take part in this study if you are over 18 and have had more than one pregnancy in the UK leading to a full-term (37+ weeks gestation) live birth, the most recent of which occured within the last 3 years.

You should also be able to answer yes to at least one of these statements:

• My BMI at booking was greater than 29
• I was referred to (or I was offered but declined referral to) a dietician or weight management services due to being overweight or obese
• I was placed under consultant-led care due to being overweight or obese
• I was advised to take 5mcg of folic acid per day due to being overweight or obese
• I was advised that due to being overweight or obese I should have a glucose tolerance test and/or additional growth scans.

If you are currently working, or were employed prior to pregnancy, as a healthcare professional, you will not be able to take part.

What will happen in this study?

To take part in this study, you will need to answer 8 questions about your experiences of choices in labour that will be emailed to you. You may write your answers in a document and send it as an attachment to an email, or simply write a reply to the email. Your answers can be as long or short as you like.

We will reply to confirm that we have received your email and may ask you one or two follow-on questions if appropriate.

You will also be asked to create a three-digit reference code, which will allow your data to be identified should you wish to withdraw. Anonymous quotes from the survey will be used as part of the research findings in the final written report and possibly in publications. All names and personally identifying information will remain anonymous, being seen only by the researchers.

Quotes used in the research may include references to any personal medical details that you share with us. If you are not happy with this you can still take part, but can choose not to go into detail about your medical history in your descriptions of the healthcare you received.

Asking questions

If you have any questions about the research, please feel free to email the researcher before you decide whether you want to take part or at any time during the study.

Withdrawing from the study

Your decision to participate is completely voluntary and you may withdraw from this research within 4 weeks of sending your final email without giving a reason or explanation for doing so, by sending an email to the researchers. The reason that the limit of of 4 weeks has been given, is that beyond this date,  you contribution may have already been used in published materials.

What are the possible disadvantages or risks to taking part in this study?

There are very few risks associated with this research. The main risk is that you may, in answering the questions, feel distressed if your labour experiences were upsetting. If you do feel that you need some support, we recommend that you talk to your local Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS; you can find your local contact details here: https://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Patient-advice-and-liaison-services-(PALS)/LocationSearch/363 ) or the Birth Trauma Association (http://www.birthtraumaassociation.org.uk/).

What are the possible benefits of taking part?

There are no major benefits to you or your child for taking part in this research study, however, your participation will help us present an accurate picture of the experiences choice in labour of mothers with a high BMI, and this may influence future research and clinical practice.

What do I do if I wish to participate in this study?

If you wish to participate in the study, please complete the following form to give your consent for participation. You will then receive an email from the researchers containing the questions to be answered.

How to get in touch

You can get in touch with the researchers, the Big Birthas Parenting Science Gang at BigBirthasParentingScienceGang@gmail.com. If you wish to make a complaint about this research, you may contact sarah.west@york.ac.uk 

What next?

Please complete our consent form and we will email you the interview questions.