Cognitive predictors of attendance at antenatal classes.

This study investigates what factors discriminate between women attending and those not attending antenatal classes in a sample of 94 primigravidous women. The 20 per cent of the sample who did not attend were less positive about the classes, more likely to evaluate the costs of attending as outweighing the benefits and more likely to think that avoiding them may help them cope. The best predictor of antenatal class attendance was women's intention at 28 weeks of pregnancy. The inclusion of demographic and attitude variables did not improve the accuracy of prediction. The most variable predicting intention was women's 'cost/benefit' judgement.