Family Collaboration during Pregnancy: Perceptions of Newly Delivered Mothers

Abstract

Pregnancy is not a disease but a physiological process, and the family as a whole should take part in helping to ensure a healthy outcome for the woman. Family involvement and collaboration during this time cannot be over-emphasised. The purpose of the study was to explore and describe newly delivered married mothers’ perceptions of family involvement during pregnancy. A descriptive qualitative research approach, using content analysis, was used in this study. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 newly delivered mothers who met the inclusion criteria for the study. The following four categories emerged from the findings of the study: being there physically and spiritually; contributing financially; setting family rules and privileges; and lack of support. The study adds to the limited body of knowledge on family collaboration within midwifery, specifically in Nigeria. This also creates awareness of the need for family involvement in caring for pregnant women. Further studies are recommended from a larger population of pregnant women to explore in-depth, specific collaborations needed in the different trimesters of pregnancy.