The lived experience of women who undergo prenatal diagnostic testing due to elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the lived experiences of a sample of 16 pregnant women who obtained an elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening and had further prenatal diagnostic procedures to determine fetal status.


METHODS
Phenomenology


METHODS
Sixteen pregnant women were interviewed on two occasions, immediately after contact with a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, and again during the immediate postpartum period. Interviews were conducted until analysis indicated that there was emergence of common themes. A nine-step method was used in the analysis procedure.


RESULTS
The exhaustive description of the experience revealed four chronological reaction periods during the experience.


CONCLUSIONS
Interactions clearly demonstrated the need for nursing interventions throughout the experience of prenatal diagnostic testing.
Alteneder
R R
RR
Medical College of Ohio, School of Nursing, Toledo 43614-5803, USA. Ralteneder@mco.edu
Kenner
C
C
Greene
D
D
Pohorecki
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000649:Amniocentesis / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins