One day you're pregnant and one day you're not: pregnancy interruption for fetal anomalies.
OBJECTIVE
To systematically explore the processes operating within the experience of women undergoing 2nd-trimester pregnancy interruption for fetal anomalies.


METHODS
Phenomenology was used to conduct the study and analyze audiotaped interviews.


METHODS
Informants were recruited through a private perinatal practice providing prenatal diagnosis and management to women experiencing high-risk pregnancies at an urban tertiary care center in the Pacific Northwest.


METHODS
Three women who had undergone pregnancy interruption for fetal anomalies in the 2nd trimester.


RESULTS
The experience of women undergoing 2nd trimester pregnancy interruption can be described as "one day you're pregnant and one day you're not." This summarizes the changes involved in the transition from being a pregnant woman with hopes for the infant and the future to a woman dealing with a loss of innocence. This transition can be described in two intertwined processes entitled "The Hardest Thing We Ever Did" and "Saying Hello and Goodbye."


CONCLUSIONS
The decision to interrupt an abnormal pregnancy is a profound experience that permeates all areas of a woman's life. Interventions specific to this type of loss are suggested. Future research is recommended, using a larger sample size to elaborate on concepts identified in this pilot study.
Bryar
S H
SH
Division of Perinatal Medicine, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98122, USA.
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000523:psychology*; D002755:Choice Behavior; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second