Information, knowledge and expectations of the routine ultrasound scan.

Objective: To examine the current provision of pre-ultrasound information to women; to determine if the information provided was related to women's knowledge of the routine second trimester ultrasound; and to describe women's expectations of the scan.

Design: A descriptive survey, before and after design.

Setting: Tertiary referral centre in the Republic of Ireland.

Participants: A convenience sample of pregnant women attending for routine second trimester ultrasound scan.

Measurements: Self-report questionnaires were used to explore the availability of information about the test, the extent of women's knowledge and expectations of the examination, and the degree to which expectations were achieved.

Findings: Most women received little information from health professionals about the capability and limitations of the scan, and had expectations that exceeded the purpose and ability of the examination. Most women, however, stated that their expectations were met in most cases. Although the routine ultrasound in the study site is not a targeted fetal anatomical survey, most women were concerned with this aspect of the test.

Key Conclusions: If women are to have realistic expectations of the routine ultrasound scan, then improvements are required in the provision of pre-ultrasound information, particularly in relation to the technological limitations of the examination. Consideration should be given to the context of the high appeal associated with visualising the fetus for women when unachievable expectations are reported as having been met.

Implications For Practice: Any development of prenatal screening programmes that will uncover fetal abnormalities needs to be considered in context, in particular when termination of pregnancy is not available within the jurisdiction. Women had expectations of the examination that could not, because of technological limitations, have been met by the examination, but which they perceived to have been met. Knowledge of the purpose, capabilities and limitations of the routine second trimester ultrasound scan was not influenced by the mode of information provision.