Perceptions of family members on family collaboration during pregnancy

Abstract

Background: Family collaboration is the interactive coordination between family members aimed towards achieving a common goal and putting individual differences aside. The collaboration received from the family makes the pregnant woman feel valued. However, family members have been identified as not collaborating in meeting basic needs of the pregnant woman. They have been found to maltreat pregnant women, by giving them chronic house-hold chores, depriving them of food and blocking access to health care. The study creates awareness on involvement of family in caring for the pregnant woman. The educational pamphlet developed, serves as educational resource on usefulness of family collaboration during pregnancy. Objectives: To explore family collaboration during pregnancy from the perspectives of family members of pregnant women, as well as also to develop an educational pamphlet from the findings to enhance family collaboration. Method: Qualitative research, using open-ended questionnaire. Fourteen family members participated, until data became saturated. Content analysis method by Erlingsson and Brysiewicz, was used in analyzing data, as this is well suited for qualitative analysis. Questionnaires were read thoroughly, and texts were formed into meaning units, these were concisely condensed while retaining the core meaning, the units were labeled by formulating codes. Codes related were formulated into Categories. The categories formed the themes of the pamphlet. Result: The findings are presented in form of a pamphlet that has been attached as a download to this article (refer to Download pamphlet). Conclusion: The study described perceptions of family members on family collaboration, through the categories that emerged from the findings and the pamphlet highlight ways that family can support a pregnant member during pregnancy.