LIVING WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS DURING PREGNANCY: PREGNANTS’ PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

It is estimated that 20% of pregnancies in Brazil are at high risk. High-risk pregnancy is one in which there is a greater chance of developing complications that harm the life of the pregnant woman and her baby. These complications can be triggered, for example, by chronic diseases prior to pregnancy. Considering the studies scarcity abouthigh-risk pregnancy beyond the biological discourse, the objective was to identify and describe how women living with chronic disease experience a high-risk pregnancy. A qualitative-descriptive study was carried out, anchored in the social constructionist framework. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, recorded, with 8 pregnant women with chronic health conditions prior to pregnancy, and field diaries. The interviews analysis resulted in the elaboration of the following themes: A) discovery of pregnancy, subdivided in A.1) circumstances of the discovery; A.2) pregnancy planning; A.3) understanding of risks; A.4) fears after the discovery, and A.5) being a mother and B) experiencing pregnancy with a chronic disease, subdivided into B.1) pregnancy impacts; B.2) complications in pregnancy; B.3) expectations, preoccupations and complaints; B.4) learnings. The participants' reports demonstrate that the news of a pregnancy promotes significant impacts on their lives, translated into fears and concerns. The fact that there is a chronic illness prior to pregnancy may have intensified the negative feelings and insecurities. They also demonstrated that living with pregnancy and chronic illness widened their views to the differences of the current pregnancy with previous pregnancies, in addition to changes in emotional aspects and self-care with chronic illness.