Palmer, L., & Carty, E. (2006). Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 35 (4), 509-515.
In Canada, women who are successfully treated for an episode of preterm labor are often followed in antepartum home care programs for the remainder of the pregnancy. This study was undertaken to learn how women who were initially treated for preterm labor before 34 weeks' gestation dealt with subsequent symptoms that may have indicated a repeat incident of preterm labor. Of the 22 women who agreed to participate in this qualitative, grounded theory study, 12, who experienced a second episode of preterm labor, were interviewed. The interviews began with open-ended questions that asked the women to tell the interviewer how they decided that they needed to go to the hospital. Data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis. Participants described a tension between not wanting to overreact and not wanting to place the baby at risk. If the women's knowledge of changes in their bodies were not validated by clinicians at the hospital, they were less likely to return for an assessment of subsequent symptoms. The authors stress the importance of clinicians' commending the women for trusting their knowledge of their bodies' messages and reinforcing the women's self-monitoring vigilance. It is important that women be able to reconcile their knowledge of body with the professionals' knowledge in order to seek a safe pregnancy outcome.
Judith A. Lewis