Mari Kangasniemi1, Katja Blomberg2, Anne Korhonen3. 1. Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627 70211, Kuopio, Finland. Electronic address: mari.kangasniemi@uef.fi. 2. Hospital Services of the City of Vantaa, The City of Vantaa, Finland. Electronic address: katja.blomberg@vantaa.fi. 3. Department of Pediatrics and Adolescence, Oulu University Hospital, P.O. Box 23 90029 OYS, Finland. Electronic address: anne.t.korhonen@ppshp.fi.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: to describe mothers' perceptions of their health choices, related duties and responsibilities. DESIGN: descriptive exploratory study with qualitative research method. SETTING: interviews conducted after the clients' regular health visits to one publicly provided maternity clinic in a southern city in Finland. PARTICIPANTS: 13 mothers aged between 21 and 40-years-old, who were pregnant or had given birth in the past four weeks. Six of participants were pregnant or had delivered for first time and it was the second to fourth pregnancy for the remainder. DATA COLLECTION AND DATA ANALYSIS: one-to-one semi-structured interviews using the inductive content analysis method. FINDINGS: women reported increased responsibility for their health choices for themselves and their baby during pregnancy. However, their duties and responsibilities were seldom discussed at maternity clinics. The duty to reconsider their health choices was described as a predictor of commitment to their pregnancy and motherhood, but they recognised that it required sufficient knowledge to realise this. In addition, the mothers said their health choices changed from private to one of public interest during this period. CONCLUSIONS: health choices are connected to maternal duties and responsibilities, but they can sometimes lack clarity during this new phase of life. In future, more research should be conducted to study maternal duties and responsibilities in different contexts. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: findings highlight the skills of nurses and midwives at maternity clinics to discuss and support mothers' moral pondering during pregnancy. Although health choices in general are well recognised as a part of maternal counselling, these findings suggest a moral perspective should be incorporated into the advice that is provided.
OBJECTIVE: to describe mothers' perceptions of their health choices, related duties and responsibilities. DESIGN: descriptive exploratory study with qualitative research method. SETTING: interviews conducted after the clients' regular health visits to one publicly provided maternity clinic in a southern city in Finland. PARTICIPANTS: 13 mothers aged between 21 and 40-years-old, who were pregnant or had given birth in the past four weeks. Six of participants were pregnant or had delivered for first time and it was the second to fourth pregnancy for the remainder. DATA COLLECTION AND DATA ANALYSIS: one-to-one semi-structured interviews using the inductive content analysis method. FINDINGS:women reported increased responsibility for their health choices for themselves and their baby during pregnancy. However, their duties and responsibilities were seldom discussed at maternity clinics. The duty to reconsider their health choices was described as a predictor of commitment to their pregnancy and motherhood, but they recognised that it required sufficient knowledge to realise this. In addition, the mothers said their health choices changed from private to one of public interest during this period. CONCLUSIONS: health choices are connected to maternal duties and responsibilities, but they can sometimes lack clarity during this new phase of life. In future, more research should be conducted to study maternal duties and responsibilities in different contexts. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: findings highlight the skills of nurses and midwives at maternity clinics to discuss and support mothers' moral pondering during pregnancy. Although health choices in general are well recognised as a part of maternal counselling, these findings suggest a moral perspective should be incorporated into the advice that is provided.
Authors: Maria J O Miele; Rodolfo C Pacagnella; Maria J D Osis; Carina R Angelini; Jussara L Souza; José G Cecatti Journal: Reprod Health Date: 2018-09-12 Impact factor: 3.223