Factors Related to Reduced Nurturance of Primipara Women in Late Pregnancy: Interview Survey of Pregnant Women

Abstract

　　Nurturance is defined as “empathy and skills used to promote the healthy development of another person.” In previous research using a survey questionnaire, the authors showed that a woman's nurturance during pregnancy is lower in primipara women than multipara women, and that nurturance is lower in the later weeks of pregnancy (from around week 28 onwards). In this study, women in the late stages of pregnancy (9 new mothers, 5 experienced mothers) were interviewed to consider the causes for this reduction in nurturance. Based on their “stories”, the results were categorized into four themes: “pregnancy,” “childbirth,” “children,” and “raising children.” Then, the number of references to each theme and content of such references (whether the reference was positive or negative) were tabulated for each participant. The results were also separated and compared for primipara women and multipara women. The above analyses suggested that “lack of understanding” and “uncertainty/worry” about “childbirth” were factors that lowered nurturance for primipara women. Additionally, many multipara women felt “the joy of children” from their experience in “raising children” and this is thought to have increased their “confidence” and lead to increased nurturance. Meanwhile, primipara women envisioned the negative aspects of “children” before giving birth and these were suggested as factors for reducing nurturance. Also, it has been understood that nurturance scale is appropriate to some degree. Moreover, the necessity of a psychological support of the pregnancy period was considered.