EBA Tool

Dear Madam,

We are asking you to fill out a questionnaire that deals with the psychological health of women after childbirth and the circumstances of establishing a close relationship with a new born child. The questionnaire is intended for all women over the age of 18 who gave birth at least 18 months ago. We ask all women to participate, regardless of whether they evaluate their birth positively or perceive their birth experience as difficult.

If you decide to participate in the research, you will be asked to fill out a one-time questionnaire that collects basic socio-demographic data, data about pregnancy and the course of childbirth and the feelings associated with it, the health status of the child after childbirth and your psychological well-being after childbirth. The questionnaire also includes questions related to your own childhood and family of origin. Filling out the questionnaire will take you approximately 30 minutes.

The questionnaire is completely anonymous, you do not state your name or other identifying information anywhere. The research results will be processed by the students in their diploma theses, which remain stored in the university's database and are publicly accessible. In the questionnaires submitted, we will collect information about basic demographic data and your attitudinal views. All data will be processed in accordance with the EU rules on personal data protection (Regulation of the European Parliament and the EU Council 2016/679 of April 27, 2016). Your answers, together with the answers of other respondents, will be presented as a summary of the results, which can be published in students' theses. In case of questions about the research, you can contact us: jana.valeckova01@upol.cz

Informed consent and detailed description of the research

Purpose of the research

As a part of the scientific activities of Palacký University Olomouc (OUMI), Czech Republic, we are conducting research that aims to understand the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of pregnant women, as well as the effects of early life experiences on their emotional and relational health during pregnancy. The results of this research can help improve the quality of support and care for pregnant women across all stages of pregnancy.

How will the study look?

The study involves completing an online survey that includes various questionnaires, including the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Maternal Depressive Reproach Scale (MDRS), Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) questionnaire, Experience in Close Relationships (ECR) questionnaire, and the Life Stressor Checklist-Revised (LSC-R). The estimated time to complete the survey is 45 minutes.

Who has approved the study?

This study has been approved by the ethics committee of the Institute of Maternal and Child Health (OUMI) at Palacký University Olomouc.

Do I have to participate?

Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. If you choose to participate, please indicate your consent by ticking YES at the end of this page and proceeding to the survey. By doing so, you are giving your consent to the use of the information you provide in our analysis. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason and/or to request the removal of your information from the research data.

What information will be collected?

We will collect data about:

basic demographic information
your pregnancy history and experiences
your emotional well-being during pregnancy
your early life experiences and relationships
and any recent stressors in your life

Will my participation in the study be kept confidential?

Yes, all information collected about you during this study will be kept confidential. Your name will not be requested and no individual will be identified at any time. Please note that in circumstances where confidentiality is legally required, such as in the case of litigation or investigation by a lawful authority, the University will take all necessary measures to ensure that confidentiality is maintained to the extent possible.

What will happen to the information which you provide?

All information you provide will be stored at OUMI in a secure manner and will only be accessible to authorized researchers. On completion of the research, the data will be stored on the UPOL server.

What will happen to the results?

The research findings will be aggregated and presented in a summary report, which will be shared with participating mothers who request a copy. Additionally, the results may be published in scientific journals.

What are the possible disadvantages of taking part?

We do not anticipate any negative consequences as a result of your participation in this study.

I want to take part in the study

If you agree to participate in this study, please answer the questions below and click on the button to proceed to the survey. Thank you for taking the time to read this information.

Pregnancy