The lived experiences of HIV-positive, pregnant women in Thailand.

The purpose of our study was to examine the lived experiences of 10 pregnant women in Thailand following their HIV diagnosis. Principles of interpretive phenomenology were applied to guide the study. In-depth interviews with open-ended questions were conducted during 2000-2001. Each participant met with the research team from 5 to 12 times. "Struggle" was the main theme that emerged from participants' lived experiences, with four subthemes: struggling alone, sharing one's struggling, struggling for the baby, and struggling through ups and downs. Findings from our study resulted in helpful implications for health professionals.