The effect ofcounselingon copingstrategiesof unplanned pregnant women: a quasi experimental study

Abstract

Abstract Background and Aim: Unplanned pregnancy is a common and global problem. Incompatibility with unplanned pregnancies leads to reduced parental responsibility, unhealthy behaviors during pregnancy and, consequently, increased prenatal mortality; therefore, women exposed to unplanned pregnancy in the group need counseling. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of counseling on coping strategies of women with unplanned pregnancy. Material and Methods: This study was performed on 70 women with unplanned pregnancy below 10 weeks gestation. Participants were randomly assigned to intervention (n = 35) and control (n = 35) groups. For the intervention group, 3 individual counseling sessions were held between two days intervals and the control group received routine prenatal care. NU-PCI, Pregnancy Coping Strategies Questionnaire, and women’s perceptions ofunplanned pregnancy were completed 4 weeks after the intervention independent t-test and ANCOVA were used for data analysis. Results: The mean score of avoidance pattern of women with unplanned pregnancy after the intervention was significantly lower in the counseling group than in the control group (mean difference -4.35; 95% confidence interval = -8.5 to -0.13) ؛ P=0.03). Also, the mean score of coping strategies for women with unplanned pregnancy in the subgroup of resistance to pregnancy, 4 weeks after the intervention, showed a significant decrease in the intervention group compared to the control group (P = 0.047). Conclusion: The results of the study showed that counseling with women exposed to unplanned pregnancy leads to reduced use of avoidance strategies and decreased resistance to acceptance of pregnancy. Therefore, it is recommended that supportiveinterventions be provided during pregnancy to improve the outcome of pregnancy and childbirth for these women. Keywords: Unplanned pregnancy, Coping, Counseling