Unplanned pregnancy at advanced maternal age: analysis in light of Transition Theory.
Juliane Dias Aldrighi, Hérica de Lara Cardoso, Nara Marilene Oliveira Girardon-Perlini and 5 others
PMID 39475395WHAT IT FOUND
Women aged 35 or older with unplanned pregnancy described shock, fear, age stigma and financial strain, but used faith, family, neighbours and prenatal care to cope.
Key findings
01The discovery of an unplanned pregnancy was described as a critical point that triggered shock, fear, crying and awareness of a major life change.
02Faith, family, neighbours and healthcare professionals were described as supports during the transition.
03Women reported developing self-confidence and coping strategies through information received during healthcare appointments.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
Only six of 35 eligible women agreed to participate, and refusals were due to lack of time, so non-participants may differ from those interviewed. The study was conducted in a high-risk prenatal clinic in southern Brazil, so the themes may not apply to other settings or populations. Data were collected only during pregnancy, not after childbirth, so the study may not capture how the transition completes after birth. The paper describes experiences and themes, not tested nursing interventions or patient outcomes, so it cannot show that a particular care approach works.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that nurse-delivered emotional support improves maternal or fetal outcomes. The study interviewed six pregnant women and reports experiences, not effects.