Exploring Empowerment in Group Antenatal Care: Insights from an Insider and Outsider Perspective
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Design
2.2. Context
2.3. Participants
2.4. Data Collection
2.5. Data Analyses
2.6. Reflexivity
3. Results
3.1. General Findings
3.2. Interpersonal Processes
3.2.1. Theme 1: Peer Connectedness
3.2.2. Theme 2: Provider Connectedness
3.3. Internal Processes
3.3.1. Theme 3: Skillful Decision Making
3.3.2. Theme 4: Responsibility
3.3.3. Theme 5: Sense of Control
3.4. External Processes
3.4.1. Theme 6: Take Action
3.4.2. Theme 7: Gaining Voice
4. Discussion
Limitations and Strengths
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
GANC | Group Antenatal Care |
PRES | Pregnancy-Related Empowerment Scale |
WHO | World Health Organization |
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Provider connectedness: A healthcare relationship that minimizes the power differential between clients and providers. These relationships are created within an environment of respect and trust. Skillful decision-making: A process by which women come to evaluate and choose a direction that will impact their health. Peer connectedness: A bond between women that develops from the evolution of caring and supportive relationships. Gaining voice: The ability of women to be knowledgeable about their health and advocate for their healthcare options for themselves and their families. |
Setting 1 | Setting 2 | Setting 3 | Setting 4 | Total/Average | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type of organization (Primary/secondary care) | Community Health Center (Primary) | Community Health Center (Primary) | University hospital (Secondary) | Non-profit organization (attached to a hospital) | n/a |
Regular prenatal care performed by | Midwives | Midwives | Mainly gynecologists | Midwives | n/a |
GANC performed by | 2 midwives | 2 midwives | 2 midwives or 1 midwife and 1 psychologist | 2 midwives | n/a |
Number of months/years of GANC experience at the beginning of observation | 3 years | 3 years | 3 months | 1 year | n/a |
Target group for GANC | All pregnant people, but especially residents | All pregnant people, but especially residents | People facing psychosocial and/or socioeconomic challenges | Pregnant people with no social security and living in precarious conditions | n/a |
Number of groups observed | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Number of sessions observed | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 21 |
# women interviewed | 2 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 13 |
# interviewed and participants in an observed group | 0 | 2 | 3 | n/a | 5 |
Primiparous/multiparous | 1/1 | 2/0 | 5/4 | n/a | 8/5 |
Mean age (range) | 28 (24–32) | 31 (27–35) | 30 (21–34) | n/a | 29.7 |
# non-native Dutch or French speakers | 1 | 0 | 4 | n/a | 5 |
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Talrich, F.; Van Damme, A.; Rijnders, M.; Bastiaens, H.; Beeckman, K. Exploring Empowerment in Group Antenatal Care: Insights from an Insider and Outsider Perspective. Healthcare 2025, 13, 1930. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13151930
Talrich F, Van Damme A, Rijnders M, Bastiaens H, Beeckman K. Exploring Empowerment in Group Antenatal Care: Insights from an Insider and Outsider Perspective. Healthcare. 2025; 13(15):1930. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13151930
Chicago/Turabian StyleTalrich, Florence, Astrid Van Damme, Marlies Rijnders, Hilde Bastiaens, and Katrien Beeckman. 2025. "Exploring Empowerment in Group Antenatal Care: Insights from an Insider and Outsider Perspective" Healthcare 13, no. 15: 1930. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13151930
APA StyleTalrich, F., Van Damme, A., Rijnders, M., Bastiaens, H., & Beeckman, K. (2025). Exploring Empowerment in Group Antenatal Care: Insights from an Insider and Outsider Perspective. Healthcare, 13(15), 1930. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13151930