Pregnant Women's Experiences of the Conditions Affecting Marital Well-Being in High-Risk Pregnancy: A Qualitative Study.
Kobra Mirzakhani, Talaat Khadivzadeh, Farhad Faridhosseini and 1 others
PMID 33178857WHAT IT FOUND
Women in high-risk pregnancy described marital well-being as depending on emotional closeness, husband's support, and sexual relationship.
Limiting or stopping sex was linked to fear, guilt, and distress, and women reported no counseling about it.
Key findings
01Women described emotional spousal intimacy, including closeness, physical presence, and confidence the marriage would continue, as central to marital well-being during high-risk pregnancy.
02Husband's commitment to manage pregnancy difficulties, including physical, emotional, financial support and prioritising the woman's health, was associated with higher perceived marital well-being.
03Women reported distress and guilt when sex was limited or stopped because of fear or medical advice, and said they were told to avoid sex without sexuality counseling.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study included only pregnant women, not their husbands, so it did not capture the partner's experience. It used a purposive sample from hospitals and clinics in Mashhad, Iran, so the themes may not fit other settings. It described experiences and did not test whether attention to these issues improves marital well-being or pregnancy outcomes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that partner support or sexual counseling improves marital well-being; this study only describes women's experiences and did not test any intervention.