Sensitivity to cold awareness to promote self-care for pregnant women who intended to give birth at birth center

Abstract

Using a qualitative descriptive study, a 30-minute semi-structured interview was conducted with two pregnant women attending a birth center in Kanagawa Prefecture from August to September 2022. The aim of the interview was to determine awareness of the sensitivity to cold(hie)symptoms that led to self-care among hie pregnant women and consider supporting in the birth center. The main interview topics included subjective symptoms, perceptions ofhie, and self-care practices. To analyze the interviews, the recorded conversation was transcribed into verbatim transcripts and then the information related to the purpose of the study was extracted, coded, categorized, and subcategorized. Four categories and nine subcategories were identified. The categories extracted were “negative feelings of being hie,” “desire for proactive childbirth,” “awareness of blood circulation for health,” and “awareness of an inability to achieve the desired level of self-care.” Because the recognition of hie leads to self-care, it is necessary to assess feelings of coldness. In addition, pregnant women are aware of the relationship between childbirth, hie, and blood flow. Being aware of blood circulation leads to self-care; however, even if pregnant women are aware that they should implement self-care, various disincentives may prevent them from doing so. Therefore, it is important to understand in which situations hie cannot be treated, which starts with awareness of hie. This can determine what kind of self-care is possible.