Northern Ireland Maternity Survey
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Northern Ireland survey of women's experience of maternity care
IRAS ID
164650
Contact name
Fiona Alderdice
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen's University Belfast
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 8 months, 30 days
Research summary
The aim of the study is to examine women’s experience of maternity care in N. Ireland. This survey is based on the National Maternity Survey 2014 in England which will provide useful comparison data. In this study all women aged 16 years and over who have a live birth in a 12 week period from October 2014 to January 2015 will be drawn by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) from birth registrations. Checks will be made by NISRA to ensure that women whose baby has died are not included in the study. This study will use a questionnaire similar to that used in earlier surveys to examine care in pregnancy, labour and birth, and in the postnatal period. It will include both closed and open questions and ask for the views of women and their partners. The questionnaire will be sent by NISRA 8-12 weeks after birth with an invitation letter, an information leaflet and a sheet with information in a range of languages, and a Freephone contact number. Women will be offered the options of completing the paper questionnaire (identifiable only by a unique reference number) and returning it Freepost to Queen's University Belfast (QUB), or alternatively, an online version using a link from the QUB website, a unique reference number and individual password. Completed questionnaires will be logged and NISRA notified. Reminder letters will be sent to non responders after 2 weeks, a further questionnaire after 4 weeks, and possibly further reminder letter 4 weeks later. There are no procedures for the participants or recruitment sites. The study is funded by the Public Health Agency, N. Ireland.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EM/1256
Date of REC Opinion
14 Nov 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion