title: Subsequent pregnancy after having a baby who was hospitalized in the NICU.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand experiences of mothers who had a baby hospitalized in the NICU and then decided to have another pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a descriptive phenomenological approach to study 12 mothers in Japan who had a child hospitalized in the NICU and had a subsequent child. Data were collected by semistructured interviews that occurred two to four times per participant. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although all of the mothers had a child who was making steady progress, they experienced difficulty when deciding on having another pregnancy. Our analysis identified five theme clusters: delaying pregnancy; unwavering view about having subsequent children; changing values regarding pregnancy and childbirth; relief of anxiety and fear about repeated hospitalization in the NICU; and preparedness to accept the outcome of pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that mothers require support during babies' hospitalization in the NICU and for the process of decision-making about a subsequent pregnancy. Family-centered care as the basis for nursing practice in the NICU is ideal to provide this type of support.
authors.affiliation: Yuki Funaba is an Assistant Professor, Division of Nursing Science, Midwifery and Maternal-Newborn Nursing, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan. The author can be reached via e-mail at funaba@hiroshima-u.ac.jp Kyoko Yokoo is a Professor Emeritus, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan. Mio Ozawa is a Lecturer, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan. Saori Fujimoto is a Lecturer, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan. Yuko Kido is a Staff Nurse, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan. Rie Fukuhara is a Neonatologist, Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Funaba
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yokoo
authors.forename: Mio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozawa
authors.forename: Saori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kido
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fukuhara
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D036801:Parturition / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000523:psychology*