A qualitative research on the experiences of couples in the process of cervical insufficiency

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE: Preterm labor is one of the most important factors causing neonatal mortality and morbidity. Cerclage and pessary applied to prevent cervical insufficiency, which is one of the most common symptoms that cause preterm labor, causes the pregnant woman to be exposed to bed rest and hospitalization. The pregnant woman and her partner may stay away from each other during the process and may be psychologically worn out. The aim of this study is to determine the experiences of couples diagnosed with cervical insufficiency in this process. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This qualitative study was conducted in a training and research hospital between October 2022 and January 2023. The sample of the study consisted of 14 pregnant women over the age of 18 and who underwent pessary implantation and/or cerclage with the diagnosis of cervical insufficiency under the 25th gestational week and their partners. "Personal Information Form" and "Semistructured Questionnaire" for pregnant women and their partners were used to collect data separately. FINDINGS: As a result of the content analysis, 4 themes emerged as "effects of the process", "response to diagnosis", "difficulties of the process" and "coping and support mechanisms". Pregnant women and their partners stated that they experienced many problems in this process, changes in their life behaviors, they did research on pregnancy, they felt many emotions, their regrets, the effects of the process on daily life, the feeling of motherhood and fatherhood, the future plan, the issues they had difficulty and gain strength, and their coping methods. CONCLUSION: Opinions of pregnant women and their partners about the diagnosis and treatment of cervical insufficiency were obtained from interviews with semistructured questionnaires. The answers given to the questions by the pregnant women and their partners who participated in the study were analyzed qualitatively. The themes that emerged are the effects of the process, response to diagnosis, difficulties of the process and coping and support mechanisms. Category, code and sub-codes have been determined. KEY WORDS: Cervical Insufficiency, Pregnancy, Partners, Cerclage, Pesser, Preterm Birth, Midwifery, Bed Rest.