Hospitalization on the high-risk maternity unit. A pilot study.

Women hospitalized for high-risk pregnancy appear to be at high risk for adverse reactions to hospitalization. Nine pregnant women remaining in hospital for 1 week or more were studied prospectively with a semistructured questionnaire, standard self-administered measures, and staff rating. Six women presented serious problems of compliance or psychic functioning. Women who suffered these adverse reactions tended to be poor, unemployed, younger, less educated, Catholic, unmarried, and to have children at home, when compared to the three women not experiencing difficulty. Women subsequently manifesting problems were significantly likelier on admission to appear as "cases" on the SCL-90-R and to have higher scores on the POMS. On the basis of pilot results, hospitalization for high-risk pregnancy appears to be a particularly stressful event. Women most at risk for problems can probably be identified prospectively.