https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3326-1624
Abstract
Background
Since the first step in meeting the health needs of primiparous women involves understanding their conditions, the present study aimed to determine the health needs of primiparous women from their own viewpoints.
Methods
This study had a qualitative approach based on the conventional qualitative content analysis method, in which the purposive sampling method was used. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews. Data saturation was achieved by interviewing 12 participants. To ensure the study was rigorous, the four criteria of credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability were taken into account.
Results
The findings of this study consisted of 150 codes, 19 subcategories, and 6 categories, as follows: 1) the intense need for social support, 2) the need for prior preparation for pregnancy, 3) fears and worries, 4) the necessity of the availability of the needed infrastructures and requirements in the health center, 5) falling in love with the baby, and 6) seeking information from appropriate sources.
Conclusion
The present study showed that primiparous women need to receive more social and psychological support from family members and healthcare workers and that it is essential to improve the available infrastructures and services in healthcare centers and to provide the needed counseling to pregnant mothers to enable them to go through the pregnancy period smoothly.
Acknowledgments
This study is the result of a research project approved by the Student Research Committee of the Lorestan University of Medical Sciences with the project code 1228. The authors would like to thank the study participants, as well as the staff of the Student Research Committee and the Vice Chancellorship for Research of the University of Medical Sciences.
Disclosure
The authors report no conflicts of interest for this work.