• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.180-190
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of a supportive program on uncertainty, anxiety, and maternal-fetal attachment in high-risk pregnant women. Methods: The participants were 59 high-risk pregnant women admitted to the maternal-fetal intensive care unit. The control group (n=30) received usual treatment and antenatal care, while the experimental group (n=29) received an additional supportive program. Uncertainty, anxiety, and maternal-fetal attachment were measured in both groups prior to the intervention and at 3 days and 10 days after the intervention (or at discharge). Data were analyzed with the t-test, chi-square test, repeated-measures analysis of covariance, and the Greenhouse-Geisser correction in SPSS version 23.0. Results: A supportive program including information provision, nutritional care, emotional care, and exercise care was developed from the literature. All variables except women's length of stay were found to be homogeneous the between experimental and control groups in the pre-test. Length of stay was calculated as a covariate for testing hypotheses. There was a significant difference in state anxiety over time between the two groups, while there were no differences in uncertainty or maternal-fetal attachment. Conclusion: This supportive program was identified as an effective nursing intervention on state anxiety in high-risk pregnant women during their stay in the maternal-fetal intensive care unit. It is suggested that nurses could apply this program to alleviate high-risk pregnant women's state anxiety, and that this program could be modified to be more effective on uncertainty and maternal-fetal attachment in high-risk pregnant women.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.26-40
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• 2024

Purpose: This study investigated the scope of patient navigation studies on women's health care for maternal health and noncancerous gynecologic conditions and aimed to report the characteristics of the identified patient navigation programs. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O'Malley's framework. Five electronic databases were searched for relevant studies published in English: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and PsycInfo. There were no restrictions on the publication date and the search was completed in July 2023. Results: This scoping review included 14 studies, which collectively examined seven patient navigation programs. All selected studies were related to maternal health issues (e.g., perinatal health problems and contraception for birth spacing). Close to two-thirds of the patient navigation services were provided by women (n=9, 64.3%) and half by lay navigators (n=7, 50.0%). The majority incorporated the use of mobile health technologies (n=11, 78.6%). All of the patient navigation programs included in the review coordinated the necessary clinical and social support services to improve women's access to care. Conclusion: Patient navigation appears to be in its nascent phase in the field of maternal health. The results of this study suggest that the implementation of patient navigation services could potentially improve access to care for socially disadvantaged women and families. Furthermore, providing patient navigation services that are specifically tailored to meet women's needs could improve the quality of maternity care.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.308-320
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• 2015

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the predictive factors for maternal role development for mothers of premature infants. Methods: A descriptive correlational study was conducted. A total sample of 121 mothers of premature infants following discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit were recruited using two strategies; an internet-based survey and an in-person data collection in a tertiary university hospital in Korea. A self-report questionnaire was used to collect data regarding personal, birth variables, marital intimacy, maternal attachment, maternal identity and maternal role development. Results: A hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that parity, maternal attachment, marital intimacy and maternal identity were predictors for maternal role development for mothers of premature infants, accounting for 70% of the variance. Among these variables, maternal attachment is the most powerful predictor for maternal role development. Conclusion: Nursing interventions during hospitalization to post-discharge education that includes parents of premature babies with positive interaction between couples strengthening marital intimacy and promotes maternal attachment that leads to integrate maternal identity should be considered by priority. Community-based family services such as home visits should be focused on maximizing the predictive factors for maternal role development in transition to motherhood that can contribute to maternal health as well as optimal growth and development of premature infants.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.402-411
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• 2002

Purpose: The objective of this study was to identify the effectiveness of continued breast feeding and maternal identity between rooming-in and not rooming-in groups of mothers in post partum care. Method: The subjects were selected by convenient sampling, with 95 women in childbirth completing a questionnaire. The data were collected on the 2nd day after delivery by questionnaire, and after the 4th and 8th weeks by telephone interview. Measures used in this study included general characteristics, breast feeding related characteristics, and the maternal identity scale revised by Koh(1996). The data were analyzed with the SPSS program, and the Chi-test and t-test were used to identify the effect on breast feeding and maternal identity. Results: Continued breast feeding up to 4 weeks after deliverly was not statistically significant between rooming-in and not rooming-in group, but beyond 8 weeks of deliverly, it was significantly different in rooming-in group(p<.01). Maternal identity was significantly higher in rooming-in group than in not rooming-in group(<.01). Conclusion: Mothers preferred rooming-in system because it helped breast feeding and baby care. Rooming-in system provides self confidence in taking care of baby, knowledge about breast feeding and stimulates early phase lactation. We recommend rooming-in system in hospitals to promote breast feeding and maternal identity. Nurses are encouraged to discuss prenatal breast feeding before delivery and rooming-in care should be planned individually for continuation of breast feeding and formation of maternal identity.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.398-405
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• 2019

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the relationships among the perceptions and practice of taegyo (a traditional set of practices and beliefs related to healthy fetal development) and maternal-fetal attachment in pregnant women. Methods: The participants were 136 pregnant women who visited a public health center or maternity hospital for prenatal care. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of varience, and Pearson correlation coefficients with SPSS version 22.0. Results: The mean age of the pregnant women was $32.24{\pm}3.99$ years. The mean scores for perceptions of taegyo, practice of taegyo, and maternal-fetal attachment were $3.96{\pm}0.53$, $3.74{\pm}0.64$, and $3.94{\pm}0.49$, respectively. Perceptions of taegyo were significantly correlated with the practice of taegyo (r=.72, p<.001), and maternal-fetal attachment (r=.55, p<.001). A significant correlation was also found between the practice of taegyo and maternal-fetal attachment (r=.65, p<.001). Conclusion: Perceptions of taegyo affected the practice of taegyo, and had a positive effect on maternal-fetal attachment. These findings suggest that primary care nurses at hospitals and public health centers should provide nursing intervention programs to improve the perceptions of taegyo, the practice of taegyo, and maternal-fetal attachment.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.1213-1227
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• 2023

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a prevalent obstetric condition. This study aimed to investigate the role of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) in regulating the inflammatory response and gut microbiota structure in FGR. An FGR animal model was established in rats, and ODN1668 and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) were administered. Changes in gut microbiota structure were assessed using 16S rRNA sequencing, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was conducted. HTR-8/Svneo cells were treated with ODN1668 and HCQ to evaluate cell growth. Histopathological analysis was performed, and relative factor levels were measured. The results showed that FGR rats exhibited elevated levels of TLR9 and myeloid differentiating primary response gene 88 (MyD88). In vitro experiments demonstrated that TLR9 inhibited trophoblast cell proliferation and invasion. TLR9 upregulated lipopolysaccharide (LPS), LPS-binding protein (LBP), interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α while downregulating IL-10. TLR9 activated the TARF3-TBK1-IRF3 signaling pathway. In vivo experiments showed HCQ reduced inflammation in FGR rats, and the relative cytokine expression followed a similar trend to that observed in vitro. TLR9 stimulated neutrophil activation. HCQ in FGR rats resulted in changes in the abundance of Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group at the family level and the abundance of Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group and Bacteroides at the genus level. TLR9 and associated inflammatory factors were correlated with Bacteroides, Prevotella, Streptococcus, and Prevotellaceae_Ga6A1_group. FMT from FGR rats interfered with the therapeutic effects of HCQ. In conclusion, our findings suggest that TLR9 regulates the inflammatory response and gut microbiota structure in FGR, providing new insights into the pathogenesis of FGR and suggesting potential therapeutic interventions.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.454-462
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• 2011

Purpose: This paper identified the effects of kangaroo care (KC) on maternal self-esteem and the growth and physiological stability of premature infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit. Methods: The experiment was conducted with an experimental group of 17 infants, and a control group of 17 infants selected by convenience sampling. KC was given to the infants one time a day for 30 minutes after feeding for two weeks. Their weight was measured every morning, and their physiological stability was measured in terms of their body temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and stability of the cardio-respiratory system in premature infants (SCRIP) score, as physiological responses at every 10 minutes during the intervention. Maternal self-esteem was assessed by a maternal self-report inventory. Results: The experimental group showed significant increase in the self-esteem of mothers. Also, KC was effective on physiological stabilization of preterm infants. Conclusion: This study suggests that KC can be provided in clinical settings more widely in Korea as one of the nursing interventions aimed at promoting maternal self-esteem as well as infants' physiological stabilization.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.53-67
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to obtain the basic data for the development of maternal health care by analyzing the status and needs of service target persons in Timor-Leste. Methods: The subjects were selected through the non-probability sampling method applying the FGI. Researchers interviewed 3 maternal health service managers, 6 midwives at Gleno and Railaco Health Centers and 2 women between 15 and 45 years of age. Results: In the results of on-site visit of the delivery facility and the FGI, we found poor sanitation in delivery room, lack of medical equipment related to antenatal consultation and delivery. In the case of the health center manager, the public health center provides various maternity health services, but the lack of the staff has difficulty in providing the service and managing the subjects. Midwives asked for regular maintenance education. Women in child bearing age living in mountainous areas had poor access to delivery facilities and lack of awareness of delivery services. Conclusions: It is necessary to increase the maternity management rate through regular maternity and maternal health check service and application to maternal management database, to improve the sanitation of the maternity clinic in the public health center, to strengthen the midwife competency program.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.933-943
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of changes in child care technology on mother-child contact by using all sorts of literature such as diaries, documents or statistical data. Child care technologies began to change during the 1960's. Diverse goods and services such as baby dry milk, paper diapers and child care centers have made child care easier and saved a great deal of time. This has also allowed women to participate in labor markets easily despite rearing children. But maternal contact with children have declined due to new goods and services and this trend is especially prevalent in early childhood. It could be supported that the convenience of rearing rather than the needs of children like as attachment to maternity primarily was considered in technological change. From this results it was suggested that we should develop the alternative child care technologies which better reflect children's needs.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.111-118
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• 2010

This study investigated working mothers' attitudes toward maternal employment and beliefs regarding childcare quality according to the childcare centers' operating modalities and hours. Participants were 261 mothers sending their children to full day, nighttime, or 24-hour childcare centers. We conducted the data analysis two-way ANOVA using SPSS. The results revealed significant differences among the groups in these working mothers' attitudes toward maternal employment and their beliefs regarding childcare quality and childcare centers' operating modalities and hours.