Identifying the barriers to universal cervical length screening for preterm birth prevention at a tertiary hospital in Thailand (patient’s perspectives): implementation research

Purpose: To identify patient perspectives of barriers to cervical length screening to prevent preterm births. Methods: In Phase I of this prospective descriptive implementation study, 40 pregnant women of up to 24 week gestation were interviewed. Phase II comprised questionnaire development and data validation. The questionnaire was subsequently administered to 400 participants in Phase III. Results: Most participants (74.3%) realised preterm babies have complications and high care costs (53%). They recognised that premature-birth risk identification enables appropriate pregnancy care (93.8%), but they were unaware that cervical length measurements indicate the risk (59.5%). The participants who were aware wanted to be examined (63.5%) because of concern about preterm birth (95.8%). Husbands were reported to influence decision-making about screening (81.3%) and subsequent treatment (42.5%). If the associated costs were subsidised, the majority of participants (67.3%) would undergo screening. Conclusion: Physicians do not explain ways to prevent preterm births. Government policy on preventing preterm births is not well established. Screening and treatment costs are major barriers.