Qualitative Analysis of Women’s Experiences of Education About POST-BIRTH Warning Signs

Objective

To explore the experiences of women in the postpartum period who received the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses’ “POST-BIRTH Warning Signs Save Your Life” (PBWS-SYL) educational handout at discharge.

Design

Qualitative content analysis.

Setting

Virtual or in-person interviews in Connecticut, New York, and Florida.

Participants

Women (N = 41) who gave birth in the previous 12 months.

Methods

In individual audio-recorded interviews, we asked participants to describe their experiences of receiving the PBWS-SYL educational handout. We used Krippendorff’s method for qualitative content analysis to cluster units within the data to identify emergent themes.

Results

Participants who received the handout emphasized that they recognized potential warning signs during the postpartum period. Conversely, participants who reported that the PBWS-SYL educational handout was not adequately reviewed with them during discharge expressed heightened levels of distress and doubt when they encountered concerns. Analysis of transcripts revealed six overarching themes: The Invisible Pain of the Postpartum Period, Stronger Together, The Art of Active Listening, Lost in the Pile, Postbirth Revelations, and Optimal Discharge Education.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that the consistent and thorough application of the PBWS-SYL handout education process is a pivotal factor in safeguarding women’s health after childbirth. This education is essential to equip women with the knowledge and confidence needed to detect and address any warning signs that may emerge after birth. Nurses and health care providers can empower women to recognize and address warning signs during the postpartum period, which can lead to improved health outcomes for women.