Poonsab Lapchem. Relationships between selected factors, uncertainty in illness and parturition, social support and fear of childbirth among high-risk primiparous women. Master's Degree(Maternity and Newborn Nursing). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2007.
Relationships between selected factors, uncertainty in illness and parturition, social support and fear of childbirth among high-risk primiparous women
Abstract:
This study is descriptive research which aimed at investigating the relationship
between selected factors, uncertainty in illness and parturition, social support and fear
of childbirth of high-risk primiparous women. Mischels (1988) concept of
uncertainty in illness was used as the conceptual framework of the study. The study
sample consisting of 150 high-risk primiparous women at the antenatal clinic of
Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University and at the antenatal
clinic of Rajvithee Hospital.were recruited by means of purposive sampling. Data
collection took place during May August, 2006. The data collection instruments
consisted of four questionnairesthe demographic characteristics questionnaire, the
Norbeck social support questionnaire (NSSQ), the uncertainty in illness and
parturition scale, and The Fear of Childbirth Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using
the SPSS for Windows program version 11.5. The study findings revealed that the
mean age of the primiparous women was 23.39 years, and more than half, or 58%,
were younger than 20 years old. Most of them, or 88%, completed secondary
education or lower. The highest level of education was a masters degree, while the
lowest level of education was elementary education. In addition, it was found that the
primiparous women had a rather low level of social support ( x = 106.85; SD = 47.27).
As regards uncertainty in parturition, primiparous women had a rather high level of
uncertainty in parturition ( x = 91.61; SD = 10.21), with ambiguity of sickness at the
highest level. Also, they had a rather high level of fear of childbirth ( x = 43.0; SD =
13.76), with fear for the fetus health at the highest level. Finally, the findings
indicated that social support and educational background could explain the variance of
uncertainty in parturition by 12% with statistical significance (r2 = .120, p < .05), and
uncertainty in parturition could explain the variance of fear of childbirth by 10.5%
with statistical significance (r2 = .105, p < .001).
Based on the findings, nurses should assess educational, social support,
uncertainty in illness and parturition and fear of childbirth of primiparous women who
are nearing in labor so that necessary information regarding labor process and highrisk
pregnancy can be provided to increase their knowledge and understanding. In
doing so, it is believed that uncertainty in parturition and fear of childbirth of
primiparous women could be reduced.