Pregnancy Burden: An Integrative Review and Dimensional Analysis of Pregnancy's Hidden Challenges.
Hannah E Kumarasamy, Felesia Bowen, Becca Billings and 1 others
PMID 40404606WHAT IT FOUND
Pregnancy burden appeared across five areas: health, education, finances, inequity and social support.
It can be physical, emotional and hidden, and may continue after birth.
Key findings
01The review identified five dimensions of pregnancy burden: health, education, financial or cost, inequity, and social support.
02Pregnancy burden was defined as increased intrinsic and extrinsic demand and compromised capacity experienced by the pregnant individual, with short- and long-term consequences.
03The review described family and spousal support as important for managing burden, and weak support as adding stress and instability.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This is a concept analysis, not a trial or intervention study, so it does not show that reducing pregnancy burden improves health outcomes. The search used only the exact phrases pregnancy burden or burdens of pregnancy or reproduction, so related work using terms such as stress or difficulty may have been missed. Only 37 articles were included, and the review did not combine effect estimates or test a measurement tool. The included literature used many different tools and definitions, and no standard way to measure pregnancy burden was established.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that a pregnancy burden assessment or support program improves maternal outcomes. The paper defines and describes dimensions of burden from published articles; it does not test an intervention.