Effect of antenatal education in small classes versus standard auditorium-based lectures on use of pain relief during labour and of obstetric interventions: results from the randomised NEWBORN trial

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of an antenatal education programme in small classes versus standard auditorium-based lectures. DESIGN: Randomised trial using random-generated web-based 1:1 allocation. SETTING: The largest birth site in the Capital Region of Denmark, from August 2012 to May 2014. PARTICIPANTS: 1766 pregnant women. Inclusion criteria ≥18 years, pregnant with a single child, and able to speak and understand Danish. Women were enrolled in the trial from 10+0 to 20+0 weeks of gestation. INTERVENTIONS: The intervention programme consisted of three times 2.5 hours of antenatal education in small classes (n=6–8 women), and focused on improving information and problem-solving skills for expectant parents in order to ease birth and the transition to parenthood. The control group received standard auditorium-based lectures consisting of two times 2 hours in an auditorium with participation of ∼250 people. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary trial outcome was use of epidural analgesia. Other types of pain relief and obstetric interventions were analysed as explorative outcomes. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in use of epidural analgesia between participants in the intervention group (30.9%) versus the control group (29.1%), adjusted OR 1.10 (95% CI 0.87 to 1.34). Also, the two groups did not differ regarding other types of pain relief or obstetric interventions. Concomitant birth preparation was common in both groups and highest in the control group, but did not seem to influence our results noticeably. CONCLUSIONS: Antenatal education in small groups versus standard auditorium-based lectures did not differ regarding use of epidural analgesia, other pain relief, or obstetric interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01672437; Results.