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- Title
One foot in -- one foot out: weathering the storm of pregnancy after perinatal loss.
- Authors
Côte-Arsenault D; Marshall R
- Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to gain insights into women's experiences of pregnancy after perinatal loss.DESIGN: Qualitative.SETTING: Not given.POPULATION: Participants were recruited through a variety of sources including flyers, community-based support group membership, and physician offices. Purposive sampling was used. Women were included who had experienced at least one perinatal loss and a minimum of one subsequent pregnancy. The final sample of 13 women ranged in age from 24 to 42 years.INTERVENTIONS: Three focus groups and two individual interviews were conducted in the Spring of 1997. Data collection continued until saturation was reached. Audiotapes were transcribed first, then the transcripts were verified by research team members. Completed transcripts were transferred into Folio VIEWS software for qualitative analysis.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Women's stories told of their reality of pregnancy after perinatal loss. From these stories emerged a metaphor, One Foot In-One Foot Out. Women found themselves living within the contexts of (a) reliving the past, (b) trying to find balance in the present, (c) recognizing their changed reality, and (d) living with wavering expectations.They were able to navigate the pregnancy through seven activities or themes: (1) setting the stage, (2) weathering the storm, (3) gauging where I am, (4) honoring each baby, (5) expecting the worst, (6) supporting me where I am, and (7) realizing how I've changed.RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Similar to being caught in a storm that is unpredictable, women in pregnancy after perinatal loss felt that they had to invest in the pregnancy by doing all that they could to insure that their babies would be healthy. At the same time women, irrespective of their gestational age or loss history, sought self-protection by not totally investing themselves emotionally in a positive outcome in case the worst happened; they needed to come out intact. The findings of this study offer insights to clinicians that can be used to provide more informed care to pregnant women with a history of perinatal loss. [CINAHL abstract]
- Publication
Research in Nursing & Health, 2000, Vol 23, Issue 6, p473
- ISSN
0160-6891
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1002/1098-240x(200012)23:6<473::aid-nur6>3.0.co;2-i