Table 2.
Characteristics of midwives in the interview study
| Characteristics | n (%)a |
|---|---|
| Geographical location | |
| North | 2 |
| East | 1 |
| South | 1 |
| West | 8 |
| Work experience (years), mean (range) | 14.9 (1–34) |
| ≤2 years | 2 (18.2) |
| 3–11 years | 3 (27.3) |
| ≥12 years | 6 (54.5) |
| Counselling experience (years)b, mean ± SD (range) | 7.3 ± 5.1 (1–12) |
| ≤2 years | 3 |
| 3–11 years | 2 |
| ≥12 years | 6 |
| Age (years), mean ± SD (range) | 43.3 ± 11.7 (27–60) |
| Ethnicity | |
| Dutch | 10 (83.4) |
| Other western | 1 (8.3) |
| Non-western | 1 (8.3) |
| Religious background | |
| None | 7 (58.3) |
| Christian | 3 (25.0) |
| Muslim | 2 (16.6) |
| Other | – |
a
Due to missing and inapplicable answers the n can vary from variable to variable. Valid percentages are shown.
b
Counseling experience was measured from 2007, when the Dutch prenatal screening program was implemented and when midwives became obliged to provide counseling to all pregnant women in the Netherlands. Nevertheless, midwives have provided information about prenatal screening and diagnosis already for many years before 2007 on the Triple test, amniocentesis and CVS to women with a high risk of congenital anomalies and low risk women who explicitly asked for information. However, this information provision did not involve counseling.