title: The support needs of high-risk antenatal patients in prolonged hospitalisation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to identify and describe the support needs of high-risk antenatal patients hospitalised for more than five days.
  
  
  METHODS
  a qualitative, explorative and descriptive design. In-depth interviews were conducted with pregnant women during their stay in hospital until data saturation was reached.
  
  
  METHODS
  an antenatal unit in a private hospital in Gauteng Province, South Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  11 antepartum women who had been hospitalised for five days or more and were of any gestation period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  three main themes emerged: (a) a need for social support; (b) improvement of the environment; and (c) assistance with emotional adaptation and acceptance of prolonged hospitalisation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  prolonged hospitalisation of high-risk antenatal patients disrupts the usual adaptation to pregnancy. These patients develop specific needs during hospitalisation. Findings suggest that the length of hospitalisation influences the specific support needs of antenatal patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  this study identified a link between social and environmental support, emotional adaptation, acceptance of hospitalisation of high-risk antenatal patients and improvement of their health status. Through reflection on these themes, recommendations can be made and strategies implemented to meet the support needs of high-risk antenatal patients.
authors.affiliation: Mediclinic Kloof, South Africa. Electronic address: roxanne.kent@mediclinic.co.za.
authors.forename: Roxane Agnes
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kent
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, University of Pretoria, HW-Snyman, R8-13, Pretoria, South Africa. Electronic address: mariatha.yazbek@up.ac.za.
authors.forename: Mariatha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yazbek
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, University of Pretoria, HW-Snyman, R8-33, Pretoria, South Africa. Electronic address: Tanya.heyns@up.ac.za.
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heyns
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, University of Pretoria, HW-Snyman, R8-32, Pretoria, South Africa. Electronic address: Isabel.coetzee@up.ac.za.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Coetzee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk / Q000523:psychology*; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: High-risk antenatal patients; Prolonged hospitalisation; Support needs