Antenatal Care in General Practice. 2: Components of Clinical Knowledge which indicate Need for Intervention in Pregnancy

Abstract

In clinical work in general practice decisions are based on biomedical data as well as on clinical knowledge rarely analysed in research. In this study all accessible clinical knowledge was used by the doctor in an assessment of pregnant women's psychosocial conditions and needs for intervention during antenatal care. Components of clinical knowledge (verbal and non-verbal communication, background knowledge about the woman and her network, and the clinician's own feelings during consultation) are described and discussed. The analysis of the material showed that, when there was a discrepancy between the GP's assessment (clinical observations and background information) and the woman's own verbal description of her psychosocial situation, the GP gave precedence to the former.

Different information sources seem to be closely linked. The doctor's own feelings and evaluations will influence the atmosphere in the consultation, and through this the quality of information collected.

Key Words:

• clinical knowledge
• general practice
• antenatal care
• psychosocial conditions
• non-verbal communication