Social support in pregnancy: Methodology and findings of a 1-year follow-up study

Abstract

This paper describes the methodology and findings of a follow-up postal questionnaire survey carried out 1 year after delivery in a sample of women who took part in a randomized controlled trial of a social support intervention in pregnancy. Analysis of data 6 weeks after delivery had shown a range of beneficial health outcomes for women and children allocated to be offered the social support intervention; data from the 1-year follow up provide evidence for the continuation of some of these beneficial effects of the pregnancy intervention 1 year later. Mothers' perceptions of the value of the intervention also remained significantly positive at this point, suggesting that additional social support during pregnancy may significantly enhance the experience of motherhood over the first year of the child's life. From a methodological point of view, the paper argues that postal questionnaires represent an appropriate low-cost strategy for monitoring the short and long-term effects of research interventions.