Risk perception in women with high-risk pregnancies

Abstract

Risk perception in women with high risk pregnancies affects the decisions they make about antenatal care and so may therefore influence the wellbeing of mother and baby. This article addresses the factors which influence women when making risk assessments and how these assessments may differ from those of healthcare professionals.Women use multiple sources of information to determine their risk status including advice from professionals, from other trusted sources, and their own intuitive knowledge. They recognise the risks posed by their pregnancies and will take steps to ensure the health of themselves and their babies. However these may not include following all medical recommendations. How they perceive risks and the care they will accept are weighed up in the context of their individual circumstances.Midwives need to be aware of these factors to ensure the care they give is individually appropriate, respectful and realistic.

Risk perceptions among high-risk pregnant women in Nepal: a qualitative study

“…In this study, women's knowledge sources on risk were their own experiences of risk, immediate family members and relatives' stories, and health workers' advice. Women use multiple sources of information to determine their risk status [4,30]. They weigh risk information obtained from various sources [10,16].…”

“…In contrast, risk perception is defined as a person's expectancy about the probability of an event [2]. Risk perception affects people's health behavior and healthcare decisions [3][4][5]. People in many situations perceived themselves at lesser risk than average others [6].…”

“…Pregnant women understand the risk from the social approach, where the risk is influenced by the social, cultural, and political milieu in which they live [14]. High-risk pregnant women weigh up many factors and determine how they perceive the risks they face [4]. Risk perception mainly consists of two elements: (i) a statistical assessment of how likely an event is likely to occur and (ii) a psychological component, including how women feel about the risk [4,15].…”

“…High-risk pregnant women weigh up many factors and determine how they perceive the risks they face [4]. Risk perception mainly consists of two elements: (i) a statistical assessment of how likely an event is likely to occur and (ii) a psychological component, including how women feel about the risk [4,15]. The statistical assessment can influence how healthcare providers present the risk, but people understand statistics at their level [16].…”

Risk perception in pregnancy: a concept analysis

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