The variations in communication during pregnancy and the postpartum period

Abstract

It has been appreciated for many years that healthcare practitioners need to communicate effectively, and communication in healthcare as a whole has accordingly attracted considerable research. Recently published research in the area of healthcare communication includes a study on the part communication plays in taking decisions [1, 2], as well as a study exploring the effect communication has on how safe and effective healthcare interventions are [3]. Researchers have also examined how communication enables the types of care in maternity services that incorporate respect [4]. Communication skills are taught throughout the training of doctors, nurses and midwives in several countries, including the UK and the USA, as well as several other countries in Europe [5-8]. To be granted a licence to practise a healthcare profession, some countries mandate evidence of the ability to communicate well in verbal, non-verbal and written form. This is, for example, the case in the UK, as outlined in the 'UK Standards for Pre-Registration Education' [9]. Yet, whilst there is undoubtedly agreement that communication is key, there exists no unique way to judge the effectiveness of communication, whether in maternity services or in healthcare generally [1].