Women's experiences with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy from a national referral hospital in Tanzania: A qualitative study

Abstract

Aim This study aimed to explore the experiences among postpartum women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, from pregnancy to admission at a referral hospital in Tanzania. Methods This was a descriptive cross‐sectional design with purposive sampling. Data were collected from semi‐structured in‐depth interviews with postpartum women diagnosed with hypertensive disorders and who were admitted to the maternity ward of Muhimbili National Hospital. Data were analyzed using NVivo software for qualitative content analysis. Results Fourteen women participated in interviews. Half were primipara and two‐thirds had over four antenatal visits. Data analysis yielded four categories and 27 sub‐categories. The four categories were: “I'm shocked; I thought I was normal,” “The treatment journey,” “What health care providers did and did not teach me,” “I have a risky future; I hope health care providers can help me.” Conclusion Women regarded themselves going from being normal to having a risk through the process of experiencing their treatments. They did not expect to be admitted or referred to a major hospital and while they demanded more information and education, they also expressed appreciation for their health care providers. Education during pregnancy addressing their needs and level of understanding is recommended for improvement of early detection and access to the health service.