Sometimes during a caesarean birth, a baby’s head can become lodged deep in the pelvis and be difficult to deliver. This is known as impacted fetal head. This happens in around 1 in every 10 unplanned caesarean births. When this happens, the medical team may use special techniques to help the baby to be born safely.
All caesarean births carry some risks. When a baby’s head is difficult to deliver, those risks can be higher for both the mother and the baby. We know this can be a very difficult experience, and we want to help make sure that care is as good as it can be for everyone going through it.
Right now, researchers and healthcare teams don’t always measure the same things when they study this type of birth. This makes it hard to compare findings, share learning, and improve care over time.
The aim of this survey is to ask you which things that happen to mothers and babies during and after this type of birth matter most to you. Researchers call these things 'outcomes'. This includes everything from when the baby's head becomes impacted during the caesarean birth, through the delivery itself, and the short- and longer-term effects on mothers, babies and families. Examples include whether a baby needed cooling treatment, whether extra medical care was required, or how a mother recovered after birth.
When we refer to outcomes that should be "measured and kept track of", we mean outcomes that researchers should routinely collect and report in studies evaluating techniques used to manage impacted fetal head during caesarean birth.
We are inviting you to take part in an online survey to help prioritise which outcomes are most important for mothers and babies when interventions are used to manage impacted fetal head during caesarean birth. Your answers will help create a core outcome set that all future research in this area will use. Inclusion within the core outcome set has implications for mandatory reporting across studies, rather than determining whether an outcome is worthy of measurement at all. This means the things that matter most to women and families will shape how care is measured and improved going forward.
Why have I been invited to participate?
You have been invited as you have participated in our consensus survey and you are:
- A woman who has experienced an impacted fetal head at caesarean birth
- A partner of a woman who has experienced an impacted fetal head at caesarean birth
Do I have to take part?
No, taking part in the research is entirely voluntary. It is entirely up to you to decide whether or not you want to take part. You will be shown this information sheet completing the survey and you will be given our contact information to ask any questions you might have before you participate.
If you decide to take part, you will be asked to complete a consent form before the survey.
You are free to withdraw your data up until data analysis begins, which is expected to commence in November 2027. To withdraw, please contact the study team by email using the contact details provided at the end of this information sheet. Once data analysis has begun it will no longer be possible to remove your data because it will have been anonymised and combined with data from other participants.
What would taking part involve?
If you choose to take part, you will complete an online survey asking for your views on which outcomes are most important to measure in future research.
You will be shown groups of different things that can happen to a mother or baby during or after this type of birth. For each group, we will ask:
- Which of these feels most important to measure and keep track of?
- Which feels least important to measure and keep track of compared with the other four outcomes shown?
There are no right or wrong answers. We just want to know what matters most to you. You may draw on your own experiences if relevant. However, we are interested in your views about which outcomes should be prioritised in future research.
Your responses will inform the development of a core outcome set for research and clinical practice in this area.
You do not have to answer all of the questions. However, we hope you will answer as many questions as possible, as this will provide the best possible information about your views.
The online survey is expected to take approximately 20 minutes, however you can take as much time filling in the survey as you require.
Can I take a break part way through answering questions?
Yes of course. You do not have to answer all the questions in one go.
If you would like to take a break, use the 'Next' button to save your answers. When you return use the same browser and device.
Once you have completed each page, please do press the 'next' or 'submit' button so we receive your responses to that point.
Can I ask for help to complete the questions?
Please do feel free to ask someone to help you navigate Thiscovery or answer the questions, if you would like. This could be a family member or friend, for example.
If you ask for help, please do answer the questions from your own point of view, rather than the views of the person helping.
Is there a deadline for completing the questions?
The deadline for completing questions is [insert date here]. Please do answer all the questions you wish to by this date.
