Identification of barriers for good adherence to a guideline on recurrent miscarriage.

Objective: Guidelines on recurrent miscarriage are poorly implemented in daily clinical practice. To ensure proper implementation, we identified existing barriers and facilitators for guideline adherence according to professionals and patients.

Design: Qualitative research.

Setting: Two different regions in the Netherlands.

Population: Forty-two professionals: gynecologists, residents in obstetrics and gynecology, fertility doctors and clinical geneticists. Ten patients with recurrent miscarriage.

Methods: Focus group interviews were performed with professionals and individual in-depth interviews with patients. Reports from the interviews were analyzed and barriers were identified.

Main Outcome Measures: Identified barriers, categorized in four domains, including characteristics of: (I) the guideline, (II) professionals, (III) patients, (IV) organization.

Results: Ninety-six barriers, at all four domains, were identified among professionals. The most frequently mentioned barriers were: guideline being too complicated in the consultancy room and finding it difficult to refuse demands of insistent patients. Patients mentioned 40 barriers, of which lack of up-to-date patient information and lack of detailed knowledge about family history were most frequently mentioned. Potential facilitators, such as an electronic decision tool and patient questionnaires prior to their first visit, were mentioned by both professionals and patients. All participants agreed that complete adherence to the guideline was theoretically achievable.

Conclusions: Both professionals and patients experienced barriers and facilitators for guideline adherence in recurrent miscarriage. Guideline implementation strategies should take these identified barriers into account.