Determining the psychosocial distress and psychosocial needs of women whose pregnancy were terminated via medical termination

The purpose of this study is to examine the psychosocial distress and psychosocial needs of women who have had their pregnancies ended with medical termination. In the study, descriptive qualitative research design was used. The study's population consisted of the women who received heathcare at the Pregnancy Polyclinic and the Risky Pregnancy Polyclinic after whose pregnancies were terminated via medical termination in a training and research hospital. The study was conducted with 21 women who were selected by purposeful sampling method, met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate in the study. " Descriptive Data Form" and "Semi-structured Interview Form" were used to collect the data. Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews with the participants. The data were analyzed by comparative content analysis method. As a result of the data analysis, 4 themes and 19 sub-themes were identified: psychosocial response, determinants of psychosocial response, coping efforts and needs. It was determined that women gave psychosocial responses such as guilt, helplessness, anxiety and fear during the process of medical termination of pregnancy. Pregnancy-related features, social support, corporate applications, attitudes and behaviors of healthcare professionals, individual factors and accompanying physical symptoms were found to be determinants of psychosocial responses. Women exhibit efforts such as turning to religion, avoidance, sharing and empowerment to cope with the process. Accompaniment during the process, empathetic and supportive health worker attitudes, being able to say goodbye to the baby and psychosocial support were the needs identified by women. In light of the results, it is recommended that psychosocial support practices that consider women's psychosocial responses and determinants of these responses, coping efforts and needs should be structured and included in the health services provided.