Determining the perceived risk level of pregnant women who experienced prenatal loss and their adaptation to pregnancy

This study was conducted to determine the perceptions of pregnant women who experienced prenatal loss, their risk, and their adaptation to pregnancy. A total of 244 pregnant women, 122 with a history of prenatal disease and 122 without, were included in the information containing descriptive and comparative lessons at the Bursa/Gemlik State Hospital Gynecology and Obstetrics Polyclinic between June 2022 and June 2023. Data in the study were collected face to face using the Introductory Information Form, Prenatal Self-Assessment Scale (PSS) and Pregnancy Risk Perception Scale (PRPS). Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0. Descriptive statistical analyses, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Mann-Whitney U, Chi-Square tests were used to evaluate the data. The socio-demographic characteristics of pregnant women who experienced and did not experience loss were found to be similar (p>0.05). A statistical difference was found between the groups in terms of gestational week, number of pregnancies and fear of losing the baby (p<0.05). There was a significant difference between the groups in terms of the total score of the PSS, thoughts about her own and her baby's health, acceptance of pregnancy, readiness for birth, fear of birth, and relationship with her partner (p<0.05). While there was no difference between the groups in terms of the total score of the PRPS (p>0.05), there was a significant difference in the dimension of the pregnant woman's perception of risk towards her baby (p<0.05). As a result, it was determined that the pregnant women who experienced prenatal loss had lower levels of adaptation to pregnancy, acceptance of pregnancy, readiness for birth, relationship with her partner, and adaptation to her and her baby's health compared to the pregnant women who did not experience prenatal loss. The study found that women who experienced prenatal loss had more fear of birth and higher risk perception towards their babies than those who did not experience prenatal loss. In addition, it was determined that the level of perceived risk during pregnancy increased in both groups, while adaptation to pregnancy decreased. Keywords:. Midwifery, pregnancy losses, adaptation to pregnancy, risk in pregnancy, prenatal loss