Dataset Information

An observational cohort study of health outcomes and costs associated with early pregnancy assessment units in the UK.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of consultant presence, volume of patients seen and weekend opening on the health and cost-related outcomes associated with different Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU) configurations.

Methods

This was an observational study with a prospective cohort design. Six thousand six hundred six pregnant women (16 years of age and over) attending EPAUs because of suspected early pregnancy complications were recruited from 44 EPAUs across the UK. The main outcome measures were quality of life, costs, and anxiety.

Results

Costs, quality of life and anxiety scores were similar across configurations with little evidence to suggest an impact of consultant presence, weekend opening or volume of patients seen. Mean overall costs varied from £92 (95% CI £85 - £98) for a diagnosis of normally developing pregnancy to £1793 (95% CI £1346 - £2240) for a molar pregnancy. EQ-5D-5L score increased from 0.85 (95% CI 0.84-0.86) at baseline to 0.91 (95% CI 0.90-0.92) at 4 weeks for the 573 women who completed questionnaires at both time points, largely due to improvements in the pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression dimensions. 78% of women reported a decrease in their anxiety score immediately following their EPAU appointment.

Conclusions

EPAU configuration, as specified in this study, had limited impact on any of the outcomes examined. However, it is clear that care provided in the EPAU has a positive overall effect on women's health and emotional wellbeing, with significant improvements in EQ-5D and anxiety shown following an EPAU visit.

SUBMITTER: Keeney E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8905996 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

An observational cohort study of health outcomes and costs associated with early pregnancy assessment units in the UK.

Keeney Edna E Memtsa Maria M Goodhart Venetia V Jurkovic Davor D Ambler Gareth G Khan Nazim N Round Jeff J

BMC health services research 20220309 1

<h4>Background</h4>The objective of this study was to assess the impact of consultant presence, volume of patients seen and weekend opening on the health and cost-related outcomes associated with different Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU) configurations.<h4>Methods</h4>This was an observational study with a prospective cohort design. Six thousand six hundred six pregnant women (16 years of age and over) attending EPAUs because of suspected early pregnancy complications were recruited from ...[more]

PMID: 35264163

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Dataset Information

An observational cohort study of health outcomes and costs associated with early pregnancy assessment units in the UK.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

An observational cohort study of health outcomes and costs associated with early pregnancy assessment units in the UK.

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