title: The childbearing experience during a natural disaster.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To gain insight into the needs of pregnant women during Hurricane Katrina.
  
  
  METHODS
  Grounded theory using semistructured interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were recruited with flyers. Interviews were conducted in a location preferred by the participant.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven participants were interviewed. All were pregnant during the storm, lived in an area affected by Hurricane Katrina prior to the storm, were between the ages of 18 and 49, and spoke English.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative interviews were performed and recorded, transcribed, and reviewed to organize the women's thoughts into categories.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The core category was disruption of life during pregnancy, and four additional subcategories were destruction of normalcy, uncertainty, loss of expectations, and coping with disruption.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The women relied on family and friends for support. Life in New Orleans for months after the storm was difficult due to unreliable information. Health care professionals that interact with pregnant women should move toward use of electronic medical records and educate women about coping with stress during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Louisiana Office of Public Health, New Orleans, LA, USA. rbadakhsh@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Roshan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Badakhsh
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Harville
authors.forename: Baishakhi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Banerjee
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana; D008429:Maternal Welfare / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult