Transition to Motherhood of Thai Women with High Risk Pregnancy

• Main Author: Somphit Amphai
• Other Authors: Associate Professor Dr. Kannika Kantaruksa
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: เชียงใหม่ : บัณฑิตวิทยาลัย มหาวิทยาลัยเชียงใหม่ 2020
• Online Access: http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/jspui/handle/6653943832/69742
• Institution: Chiang Mai University

The transition to motherhood of high risk pregnant women is a critical period in their lives because they face pregnancy, which is the developmental transition that occurs during the life cycle of women. Moreover, they are confronted with the transition from being a person with a disease to a pregnant woman with a disease who requires self-care to prevent harm or complications that may occur both to themselves and the fetus. These transitions cause changes and pose a tremendous impact on high risk pregnant women, their fetus, and their family. This study aimed to describe the transition process of Thai women with high risk pregnancies based on grounded theory. The data were collected by in-depth interviews and analyzed by using a grounded theory method. Twenty-one Thai women with high risk pregnancies were voluntarily recruited from the antenatal clinic of Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital and health promotion hospitals in Northern Thailand. They were selected with purposive sampling and theoretical sampling. The inclusion criteria were pregnant women aged 20 years or older who were expecting the birth of a first child with single pregnancy, and had been diagnosed with a high risk pregnancy. The findings indicated that the basic social process that was the main category of this study was "struggling to have a healthy baby". The high risk pregnant women used this process for transition to motherhood. This process consists of three phases. Phase 1 was facing a high risk pregnancy, which began when the high risk pregnant women perceived that their pregnancies were diagnosed as high risk pregnancies. Experiencing many suffering feelings, they used three strategies: 1) managing suffering, 2) seeking information, and 3) receiving support from significant others to manage their feelings in this phase. Phase 2 was hoping for a healthy baby, which began when the high risk pregnant women were ensured that their pregnancies were safe. They changed their behaviors for the well-being of the fetus. Three strategies that they used for this phase were 1) reducing risk through behaviors change, 2) balancing unstable emotions, and 3) caring for a healthy baby. Phase 3 was facing the unexpected which began when high risk pregnant women realized that their pregnancies were approaching the due date. They faced a variety of concerns and must be prepared for unpredictable outcomes. Three strategies that they used in this phase included 1) trying to deal with unpleasant feelings, 2) striving for a satisfying outcome, and 3) planning for the foreseeable future. Thai women with high risk pregnancies used this basic social process in order to successfully transition to motherhood. The results of this study provide new knowledge about the transition process to motherhood among Thai women with high risk pregnancies. This transition process included the struggling and the strategies they used in order to have a healthy baby. The knowledge gained from this study will help midwives and health care providers develop knowledge, understanding, and awareness of the importance of the transition process to motherhood among Thai women with high risk pregnancies and facilitate this process in an appropriate manner.