A qualitative description of pregnancy related social support experiences of low-income mothers with low birth weight babies

Abstract

Abstract Low birth weight (LBW) is a significant health problem in the United States leading to infant mortality and morbidity. Observational and epidemiological studies reveal that social support is associated with decreased psychological distress in pregnant women and reduces the risk of adverse pregnancy outcome. The current literature lacks research regarding the perceived social support of pregnant women in relation to birth weight from a qualitative perspective. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine the perceptions and experiences of social support during pregnancy among low-income women who had recently given birth to a LBW infant. The research questions explored were: 1) How do mothers describe their perception of social support during their recent pregnancy? 2) What were mothers’ experiences of social support during their recent pregnancy? A qualitative descriptive design was used to explore mothers’ social support experiences during pregnancy. The sample consisted of 15 mothers who had given birth to a LBW infant within the last 9 months from the five urban and rural WIC clinics in the Midwest United States and a University affiliated neonatal medical home. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Three themes emerged from inductive data analysis: 1) Mother’s experience of pregnancy and perceived social support; 2) Multiple challenges faced by mothers during pregnancy; and 3) Availability of essential supports for mothers during pregnancy. Pregnancy was perceived as a joyous experience by the mothers. The father of the baby (FOB) and female relatives were identified as major sources of support during pregnancy. Women faced multiple challenges during their pregnancy and social support from family, friends, health care providers and other significant people helped them to cope with these challenges. The majority of the women expressed a desire to obtain social support from family, friends and other significant people in their life. Social support interventions should be tailored to meet the individualized needs of pregnant women. Health care providers should incorporate practice approaches that focus on identifying and improving the social support of pregnant women with emphasis on marginalized or vulnerable populations.