Experiences of a woman who intended to relinquish her infant for adoption.

A woman with an unplanned pregnancy who intended to relinquish her infant after birth was studied from her third trimester of pregnancy through one month postdelivery. The woman was formally interviewed three times during this period and information was collected from her medical records. The Janis-Mann model of decision-making and Blair and Salerno's maternity career timetable provided the framework for this study. Data were analyzed using qualitative methods. Findings indicate that the woman progressed quickly through the stages of decision-making, and that there was a lack of assumption of the maternal role with efforts to remain detached from the infant.