Paper
Friday, July 23, 2004
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Friday, July 23, 2004
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
High-Risk Pregnant Women's Lived Experience and Coping Strategies of Tocolysis at Home
Hui-Chuan Wu, BSN, MSN, Department of Midwifery, Department of Midwifery, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Taiwan
A qualitative, grounded theory method was used to investigate the lived-experience and coping strategies of the high-risk pregnant women who discharged from the hospital after receiving tocolytic therapy. Using a theoretical sampling method, a total of 16 high-risk pregnant women from a medical center in Taipei, Taiwan were recruited. After gaining the consent from each participant, 60-90 minutes, face-to-face, semi-structure interviews with tape-recording were conducted at each participant's home. Individual interviews were conducted from January to April in 2001 while participants were in their second trimester. Data were then analyzed in three core categories: 1) methods used to keep the mother and the fetus safe and healthy, 2) strategies used by the mother to maintain her own body's health, and 3) strategies used by the mother to maintain a balanced mind. Results showed that the high-risk pregnant women at home often lack professional supervision, especially fetal monitors and consultations from the medical professions. As a result, the pregnant women over-protect their physical body, adjust their activity level, and put both body and mind at ease intentionally. In the future, midwifery may advise the high-risk pregnant women to maintain a similar awareness and note the strong connection between body and mind. Holistic care, which often ignored by the contemporary medicine, should be emphasized.
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Sigma Theta Tau International
July 22-24, 2004