Table 2 Overview of processes by which the intervention impacted pregnancy experiences according to support, information, and care practices
Themes: How do components influence the pregnancy experience? | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Components | Acceptance and mother/child bonding | Growing and adapting in their role as mother | Receiving tools for their health | Having ways to cope in difficult situations |
Support Emotional support, mentoring and appraisal, instrumental support within healthcare system | Participants described coming to terms with unintended pregnancy by having someone to talk to (the HHs and fellow trial participants) and receiving advice | Some participants described that mentoring, encouragement, and emotional support from HHs helped guide them in their parenting and made them feel more empowered to take on the role responsibilities of being a mother | In the case of health issues, tangible and emotional support helped participants navigate the health system | Participants reported gaining coping skills for social stressors, mental or physical health challenges, and difficult socioeconomic circumstances; Having the HH to open up to helped participants with such difficult circumstances |
Information Physiological (health behaviours, fetal/child development, pregnancy stages); Biomedical (potential pregnancy complications, “danger signs”, and explanations about care practices); Sociocultural (how to care for the baby); | Information around pregnancy stages and childhood development helped participants look forward to and bond with their unborn baby | Participants felt more confident about caring for their child due to the information received; Participants were able to make more informed decisions about childcare and health-related choices (such as exclusive breastfeeding) | Health information served as a wake-up call, making participants more aware of the importance of their health; Information helped participants make informed decisions about their health; Participants felt reassured about their child’s health as a result of the biomedical and physiological health information received | Reading resources were used by one participant as a distraction or escape from social stressors |
Care practices Ultrasounds, supplements, and health screening/measurements (such as for BMI or BP) | Trial ultrasounds (and learning the sex of the baby) helped participants come to terms with their pregnancy | Not applicable | Health screenings provided reassurance about participants’ and their child’s health; Participants received referrals for management in case of identified health issues; Participants attributed a number of health benefits to taking the trial supplements | Not applicable |