This study examined psychosocial issues related to high-risk pregnancy. In 2002, approximately 650,000 of the 4,021,726 live births in the United States were affected by high-risk pregnancy (National Center for Health Statistics, 2003). High-risk pregnancy places both a physical and psychological burden on women, threatens maternal and/ or fetal health, and heralds a time of increased stress for these women. The overall purpose of this study was to investigate whether the effects of situational factors of uncertainty and social support on psychological well-being of high-risk pregnant women were mediated by prenatal coping. The Transactional model of Lazarus and Folkman (1984) guided this study. This was a cross-sectional, correlational design that examined the relationship among uncertainty, social support, prenatal coping, and psychological well-being. The convenience sample consisted of 105 high-risk pregnant women 18-34 years of age. Data were collected by a set of questionnaires. The major findings of the study are as follows: (1) Women reported low levels of uncertainty, moderate levels of distress, and high levels of social support. Prayer was the most frequently used coping strategy, whereas avoidance was the strategy used least frequently. (2) High-risk pregnant women who reported higher levels of uncertainty also reported less social support, more distress, more use of avoidance and less positive interpretation compared with women with lower levels of uncertainty. Women who used positive interpretation had less distress whereas those who used avoidance reported more distress. (3) The modified path model showed a good fit with the data. Avoidance significantly mediated the effects of uncertainty on psychological well-being. Social support had a significant direct effect on preparation for motherhood. This study provided a better understanding of the experience of high-risk pregnant women. The results of this study may help perinatal nurses understand the complexity of high-risk pregnancy and how women are affected.
Session #1206 - Childbearing
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)