The Process of Pregnancy Recognition among Women of Childbearing Age
November 19, 2009 | 2:00 - 3:00 pm | Science Building 110
Presented by professors Adejoke Ayoola and Gail Zandee
Background
Early pregnancy is a critical period for normal fetal development. Delays by women to recognize a pregnancy has been associated with an increase in adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth and low birth weight. This study explored women’s definition of pregnancy recognition, their experiences of becoming “sure of a pregnancy”, and the factors that influenced the timeliness of pregnancy acceptance.
Methods
Six focus group discussions were conducted among women of childbearing age who were pregnant or had experienced a pregnancy during the last three years. The discussions were held among racially homogeneous but four cultural groups- Caucasian, African American, Hispanic/Latino and Native Americans. The sessions were tape-recorded, transcribed, and coded. The transcripts were analyzed using NVIVO to identify the main concepts related to the process of recognition and factors that facilitate early pregnancy acceptance.
Results
The process of pregnancy recognition comprises of three main phases; suspicion, confirmation, and acceptance. The process is non-linear, and do not follow the same sequence for the women. Thus, some women did not suspect but had pregnancy confirmed during clinic/doctor’s visit, some accepted the possibility of a pregnancy before confirmation. The main factors that influenced the process of recognition were: experienced pregnancy signs and symptoms, knowledge of the body, pregnancy planning, pregnancy-testing /clinic visit, and contraceptive use/history. Knowledge of the body was identified as a dominant factor influencing pregnancy recognition.
Conclusion
The process of pregnancy recognition is multifaceted; this study reveals the three main phases of the process. An increased understanding of these phases provides important information for the design of interventions on promoting early pregnancy recognition.
