Background Recent advances in prenatal screening and diagnosis have resulted in an increasing number of women receiving a diagnosis of fetal anomalies. In this study, we aimed to clarify the hopes for childbirth and parenting of women diagnosed with fetal anomalies and to suggest a family-centered care tailored for this situation in perinatal settings. Methods A descriptive qualitative study was performed. We recruited women diagnosed with fetal anomalies who were over 22 years old, beyond 22 weeks of gestation, and had scheduled pregnancy and delivery management at a tertiary perinatal medical center specializing in neonatal and pediatric care in a metropolitan area of Japan from April 2019 to December 2019. Women who were willing to participate received support from a midwife to create birth plans. Data were collected from the documented birth plans submitted by 24 women and analyzed using content analysis. Results We identified three themes of women’s hopes based on the descriptions of the submitted birth plans: (1) Hopes as women who are expecting childbirth, (2) Hopes as mothers of a baby, (3) Hopes of being involved in the family needs. Several distinctive hopes were clarified in the context of the women’s challenging situations. In describing their hopes, the women were neither overoptimistic or overstated their actual situations, nor caused embarrassment to the healthcare providers. The importance of supporting their involvement in baby matters in the way each family wants also emerged. However, several barriers to fulfilling the women’s hopes were identified including the babies’ conditions and hospital regulations against family visits or presence. Conclusion All three themes identified in the study provide important insights for analyzing more deeply ways of implementing a family-centered care for women diagnosed with fetal anomalies in perinatal settings. To improve women’s engagement in decision-making as a team member, women’s hopes should be treated with dignity and respect, and included in the perinatal care of women with abnormal fetuses. Further research is needed to improve the inclusion of women’s hopes in their care in clinical settings. Trial registration UMIN Clinical Trials Registry: UMIN000033622 (First registration date: 03/08/2018).
We developed the measurement system for human protein S mRNA (cDNA) by a reverse transcription-competitive polymerase chain reaction (RT-competitive PCR) method with a compact digital camera. The sensitivity of the method was 100,000 fold more sensitive than the traditional northern blot analysis. We confirmed the accuracy and usefulness of the system by measuring the absolute values of protein S mRNA in fractionated peripheral blood cells, namely platelets, mononuclear cells, granulocytes and red blood cell from healthy human and six different cultured disease cell lines tested, namely, lung carcinoma, stomach carcinoma, hepatoma, highly differentiated hepatoma, promyelocytic leukemia and monocytic leukemia. The amount of protein S mRNA in the platelet rich fraction (6.89 x 10-19 mol /ptg total RNA) was the largest of all fractions tested and that in the mononuclear cells was the second largest. In the fractions of granulocytes and red blood cells, no protein S mRNA was detected. The detected values in five cell lines ranged from approximately 5.6 x 10 -19 to 97.2 x 10 -19 mol / pg total RNA. The content was reduced in the order, highly differentiated hepatoma > hepatoma > lung carcinoma > stomach carcinoma > monocytic leukemia. Promyelocytic leukemia cell line had no expressed protein S mRNA. Thus, the assay system described here was sensitive, reproducible, simple and useful for the quantitative measurement of an infinitesimal level of protein S mRNA to characterize normal and/or patho-physiological states of human blood and somatic cells.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.