Table 1. Setting and respondent participation in focus groups and semi-directed interviews.
| Setting characteristics | Hospital A | Hospital B | Hospital C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beds (maternity unit) | 86 | 29 | 28 |
| Beds (nursery) | 72 | 35 | 30 |
| Services | High-risk obstetric and paediatric care | Intermediary obstetric care | Obstetric care, family medicine |
| Availability of neonatal care | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Availability of neonatal intensive care unit | Yes | No | No |
| Availability of midwifery services | No | No | No |
| Births in 2004–2005 | 2893 | 2595 | 1764 |
| Nurse–patient ratio in delivery unit | 1:1 to 1:2 | 1:1 to 1:3 | 1:1 to 1:2 |
| Academic status | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| No. of obstetricians | 18 | 13 | 6 |
| No. of family physicians | 1 | 6 | 13 |
| No. of nurses in delivery unit | 53 | 45 | 58 |
| Anesthetists on site | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pediatrists on site | Yes | Yes | No |
| Availability of EFM machine | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Central EFM | No | No | Yes |
| Availability of fetal scalp blood sampling | Yes | No | Yes |
| Rate of caesarean section (2004–2005) | 27.2% | 24.0% | 22.6% |
| Payment method | In transition from pool to blended | Blended | Individual |
| Number of available obstetricians | 15 | 13 | 6 |
| % of agreement to participate | 93% | 85% | 100% |
| % of participation of agreed obstetricians | 86% | 91% | 83% |
| % of participation of available obstetricians | 80% | 77% | 83% |
| Number of included obstetricians | 12 | 10 | 5 |
| No. of focus group | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| No. of semi-structured interviews | 4 | 2 | 0 |
EFM, electronic fetal monitoring.