Table 2 Overview of instruments that will be used in the study

 Readiness for labor-item

On a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is not at all and 100 is completely, how ready do you feel for labor and delivery?

1 item

0-100 – total score

Not available

Ickovics et al., 2007 [17]

 Labor and Delivery Index (LADY-X)

Quality of received care and maternal emotions

7 items: e.g. “Information given by the healthcare professionals during childbirth.”

3 point scale^a – sum score (range 0–14)

Test-retest reliability, ICC^b > .80;

Convergent and divergent validity r = .24-.61;

Construct validity p < .001-.02.

Gärtner et al., 2015 [37]

 Shortened Labor Agentry Scale (LAS-10)

Sense of control during childbirth

10 items: e.g.”I felt confident.”

7 point scale (almost always-rarely) – sum score (range 10–70)

A^c = .85-.97^d

Hodnett and Simons-Tropea, 1987 [38]

Geerts et al., 2014 [59]

 Prenatal/Postnatal care knowledge

Prenatal and postnatal care knowledge

19 items: e.g.” Babies of mothers who smoke tend to be smaller than babies of mothers who do not smoke.”

5 point scale (definitely false-definitely true) – sum score (range 0–95)

α = .65

Ickovics et al., 2007 [17]

 Revised Prenatal Distress Questionnaire (NuPDQ)

Concerns about birth/baby, concerns about weight/body image, concerns about emotions/relations

9-17^e items: e.g. “Are you feeling bothered, worried or upset at this point in your pregnancy about taking care of a new born baby?”

3 point scale (not at all-very much) – sum score (range 0–34)

Test-retest reliability r = .75, α = .80-.81^d

Yali and Lobel, 1999 [39]

Yali and Lobel, 2002 [40]

Alderlice et al., 2012 [41]

 Cambridge Worry Scale (CWS)

Women’s major worries in pregnancy: socio-medical, health, socio-economic, and relational

17 items: e.g. “How much of a worry is your housing to you?”

6 point scale (not a worry-major worry) – at item level or using total (range 0–85) or factor scores

Socio-medical α = .71; Health α = .70; Socio-economic α = .29-.63; Relational α = .67. Test-retest reliability r = .69-.72

Green and Kafetsios, 1997 [42]

Green et al., 2003 [47]

 Coping (based on the Revised Prenatal Coping Inventory)

Problem focused active coping, emotion focused active coping, emotional passive coping

9 items: e.g. “How often did you try not to think about it?”

5 point scale (never-very often) – sum score per subscale (range 0–12)

Not available

De Ridder et al., 1996 [48]

De Ridder et al., 1998 [49]

Savelkoul et al., 2000 [50]

Hamilton and Lobel., 2008 [51]

 Social Support List-12 Interaction (SSL-12 I)

Daily support, problem support and appreciation support

12 items: e.g. “Do you get invited to a party or dinner sometimes?”

4 point scale (seldom-very often) – scale scores (range 4–16) and sum score (range 12–48)

Daily support α = .70-.80^d;

Problem support α = .72-.89^d;

Appreciation support α = .72-.82^d.

Kempen et al., 1995 [60]

Bridges et al., 2002 [53]

Van Sonderen., 2012 [52]

 Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)

Prenatal and postnatal depression

The EPDS was originally developed for postnatal use, but was validated as a prenatal screening instrument.

10 items: e.g. “I have been able to laugh and see the funny side of things.”

4 point scale^a – sum score (range 0–30)

α = .80

Cox et al., 1987 [54]

Murray et al., 1990 [61]

Green et al., 1994 [62]

Adouard et al., 2004 [63]

 Readiness for baby care-item

“On a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is not at all and 100 is completely, how ready do you feel for taking care of your baby?”

1 item

0-100 – total score

Not available

Ickovics et al., 2007 [17]

 Parental Expectations Survey (PES)

Women’s self-efficacy in child care

25 items: e.g. “I can manage the feeding of my baby.”

10 point scale (cannot do-certain can do) – sum score (range 25–250)

α = .86-.91^d

Reece et al., 1992 [55]

Reece et al., 1998 [64]

McCarter-Spaulding et al., 2001 [65]

 Patient Participation and Satisfaction Questionnaire (PPSQ)

Participation in prenatal care and satisfaction

22 items: e.g. “Helpful information was given to me about my pregnancy.”

5 point scale (not applicable and very dissatisfied-very satisfied) – scale scores and total sum score (range 22–110)

Participation α = .93; Satisfaction α = .93;

Total α = .95.

Littlefield et al., 1987 [56]

Ickovics et al., 2007 [17]