The effect of counseling on women’s coping with unplanned pregnancy

ABSTRACT

Introduction

The responses to a life-changing event can be different. The study aimed to determine the effect of counseling on coping strategies among women facing unplanned pregnancy.

Methods

This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 70 unplanned pregnant women with a gestational age <10 weeks, who scored ≥ 15 in the avoidance pattern of Revised Prenatal Coping Inventory (NU-PCI). The participants were randomly assigned into the intervention and control groups. Three counseling sessions were held for the intervention group. Data were gathered using questionnaires of the women’s perceptions of unplanned pregnancy, decision-making style and strategies, NU-PCI, and the checklist for the type of decision. Independent t-tests, ANCOVA, and Chi-square were used.

Results

After intervention, the mean score of the avoidance pattern in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group [AMD: - 4.35, 95% CI: -8.7 to -0.13, P=0.03]. In addition, the continuation rate of pregnancy in the intervention group, 28 subjects (80%), was significantly higher than that in the control group, 21 (60%) (P = 0.03).

Conclusion

The counseling leads to a decrease in the use of avoidance strategies among women facing unplanned pregnancies. Development of supportive interventions for women experiencing unplanned pregnancies is recommended specially in societies with induced abortion restrictions.

KEYWORDS:

• Coping
• counselling
• decision-making
• unplanned pregnancy

Acknowledgments

The researcher hereby expresses her gratitude to Taleghani and Al-Zahra hospitals’ staff, Health centres of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, and the women who participated in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).