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Sexual Life in Pregnancy
JURIGOVÁ, Gabriela
Abstract The public, often also medical professionals, live under the influence of widespread sexual myths and half-truths which substantially affect their attitudes towards sexuality. Sexuality in pregnancy is all the more encompassed with a lot of superstitions, myths, prejudices and fear. There is a lack of quality information and even professionals, physicians and midwives, often give partners inadequate recommendations. Essentially, pregnancy is a natural fulfillment of biological sense of sexual life. It affects a mental condition not only of a woman but both partners, and consequently influences their sexual life. The objective of this thesis was to determine the level of pregnant women´s knowledge about sexuality in pregnancy and to analyze sexual life in pregnancy. To meet the objective of the research, the quantitative research technique using anonymous questionnaires was applied. Three kinds of anonymous questionnaires were used: one was my own questionnaire focused on finding the level of pregnant women´s knowledge on sexuality in pregnancy. The second and third questionnaires were standardized questionnaires SFŽ ( Sexual Function of a Woman) and Erotic Stimuli Inventory (Hoon - Winoze) (Annex 1). Women were asked to fill in questionnaires both from the perspective of their current situation and from the perspective matching their experience prior to pregnancy. The research set were comprised of women in the third trimester of pregnancy attending the antenatal clinic of the obstetrics-gynaecological department of 1. LF UK (Medical Faculty of the Charles University) and VFN ( the General Faculty Hospital) in Prague. The data stated in the standardized questionnaires were assessed and thereby sexual life of women in the period before pregnancy and during pregnancy was analyzed, the research goal was met. In this thesis the following hypotheses were tested. Hypothesis 1 assuming that pregnant women do not have sufficient information about changes in sexual life during pregnancy and research has been confirmed. Although most women considered the level of their knowledge as sufficient, a proportion of women who want to be informed about the changes in sexual life during pregnancy is prominent. Most women want to be informed about changes in sexual life during pregnancy in an anonymous form. This finding confirms the hypothesis 2 assuming that pregnant women want to be informed about the possibilities of sexual satisfaction during pregnancy. Hypothesis 3 assuming that pregnant women are not satisfied with the level of information about sexuality in pregnancy provided in prenatal counseling has been confirmed. Low percentage of women receives information from a physician or a midwife and they themselves do not ask questions mostly because of shame. Communication about sexuality in our society is still taboo for both professionals and the general public. Hypothesis 4 assuming that the need for sexual intercourse is decreased in pregnancy has been confirmed by the survey. In pregnancy libido, the frequency of sexual intercourse, the need for contact and the ability to achieve orgasm are reduced. Responses to erotic stimuli are shifted to a lower degree of erotic excitement according to the results of the research. The results of the research carried out in the obstetric-gynaecological hospital have revealed the need to improve communication and the information supply provided by the medical staff members to pregnant women and their partners. It is necessary to consider the possibility of anonymous forms of providing information that is not affected by prejudices, attitudes, myths. An information booklet seems to be an appropriate resource. Women in pregnancy want more information and have the right to get it. This is where a midwife can play a significant role by giving professional advice and having open communication with a pregnant woman and her partner.
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"The importance of screening examination methods in prenatal diagnosis from a midwife{\crq}s perspective"
PROCHÁZKOVÁ, Klára
The subject of this bachelor thesis is to create a well-arranged and comprehensible review of the current status and possibilities of the prenatal diagnosis, as it nowadays represents an integral part of almost all pregnancies and many pregnant women decide whether to undergo a prenatal diagnosis and which method of the prenatal diagnosis should be employed in order to achieve a maximum guarantee that they will not give birth to a child with a defect. This thesis has a total of six aims. To find out if the midwives are informed about possibilities of screening examinations in the pregnancy, whether they proceed in compliance with the recommendations of the Society for Gynaecology and Obstetrics during these examinations, whether the pregnant women according to the midwives understand the meaning of the screening examinations, whether the pregnant women according to the midwives are interested in performance of screening examinations in pregnancy and whether the pregnant women are interested in optional, above standard examinations that are not fully covered from the health insurance. In order to ascertain these aims, a total of six hypotheses were postulated on the grounds of which an anonymous questionnaire was created that was focused on evaluation of the theoretical knowledge of the midwives about possibilities of screening examinations in pregnancy and on evaluations of pregnant women{\crq}s interest in these examinations based on the opinions of the midwives. The questionnaire contained a total of 26 questions. The cohort of respondents consisted of the midwives working with pregnant women in 79 selected gynaecological-obstetric outpatient departments in Prague where the research was carried out. A total of 146 questionnaires were distributed, the rate of return of which was 66%. The interpretation of the results is based on the total of 94 respondents. The first hypothesis was based on a presumption that the midwives are informed about possibilities of the screening examinations in pregnancy. This presumption was confirmed as the opinions of the respondents were in 66% in accordance with this hypothesis. In the hypothesis 2, there was a presumption that in the field of the screening examinations, the midwives do not proceed according to the recommendations of the Society for Gynaecology and Obstetrics. This hypothesis was not confirmed as nearly all midwives claimed to proceed in compliance with these recommendations. In the third hypothesis, there was a presumption that according to the midwives, the pregnant women do not know the meaning of the screening examinations in pregnancy. This hypothesis was not confirmed as the average of 86% midwives gave a positive answer at this point. The fourth hypothesis was based on a presumption that midwives positively evaluate the importance of the screening examinations in pregnancy. This hypothesis was confirmed as the average of 92% of responders evaluated the importance of these examinations positively. In the fifth hypothesis, there was a presumption that the pregnant women are according to the midwives interested in performance of screening examination in pregnancy. This hypothesis was confirmed as the average of 95% of respondents gave opinions that were in accordance with this hypothesis. The last hypothesis was based on a presumption that the pregnant women are not interested in the optional, above standard examinations that are not fully covered from the health insurance. This hypothesis was not confirmed as the average of 51% of respondents reported the pregnant women to be interested in these examinations. This thesis and the results of the research part should help the midwives and other medical staff to increase the awareness on screening examination methods of the prenatal diagnosis.
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Know - how gravid women about after - terminal pregnancy
ŠIKOVÁ, Miroslava
The thesis on the topic of awareness of pregnant women about overdue pregnancy consists of two basic parts. In the theoretical part the thesis deals with first signs of pregnancy and how the pregnant woman can recognize them. How to calculate the due date and how long physiological pregnancy takes. Other topics mentioned are frequency, causes and risks of overdue pregnancy and ways of dealing with failed induction of labour. The aim of the research investigation was to determine whether pregnant women know the risks of overdue pregnancy, whether they know the length of pregnancy, whether they have knowledge of how to calculate the due date and whether they know the reasons leading to the induction of labour. Hypotheses were stated which were to confirm the knowledge of pregnant women about the risks of overdue pregnancy, women's knowledge about the length of pregnancy, women's knowledge about ways of calculating the due date and knowledge of the reasons to induce the labour. Quantitative research was chosen as methodology of the work, data collection was conducted using the questionnaire technique. The questionnaire was anonymous, the initial questions identified the respondents. Questions in the questionnaire were related to overdue pregnancy. The research was carried out in Strakonice Hospital and in gynecologists´ surgeries. 70 questionnaires had been distributed. The total set consisted of 60 (100%) respondents. The objectives of the thesis were met and the hypotheses were confirmed by the results of the research investigation. It was found out that pregnant women are well informed about the risks of overdue pregnancy and they have enough information about the whole issue. Women receive information from their doctor-gynaecologist, midwives and from the Internet when the Internet is not a valid resource for pregnant women. It would be beneficial to provide information about other natural methods of induction of labour. The best form of education of expecting mothers would be a focused interview during pre-birth classes or creating information brochures, which would be available in every gynecological surgery.
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Foreknowledge of women in childbed about the possibility of navel cord blood taking
BLÁHOVÁ, Martina
The objective of the thesis was to determine the level of expectant mothers' awareness of the possibility of umbilical cord blood collection. Umbilical cord blood can be collected only at one moment {--} after the child has been delivered. Umbilical cord blood comprises stem cells that cannot be found in the body any other time in human life. Stem cells have been used to treat blood diseases for several years. Umbilical cord blood is contained in umbilical cord and placenta. Umbilical cord blood collection is not dangerous under any circumstances and donation is entirely optional. The midwife is a member of the team that participates in umbilical cord blood collection. She is familiar with the correct blood collection technique. She educates pregnant women during pregnancy and also during childbirth about the possibility of umbilical cord blood collection and use. In spite of the fact that pregnant women have enough information about the possibility of umbilical cord blood collection, it is necessary to improve awareness of the importance of the collected umbilical cord blood - e.g. in prenatal courses or by creating a complex educative material. Nowadays umbilical cord blood is used mainly in the treatment of children's haemoplastic diseases, but in the future usage of stem cells could exceed the imagination. The advantage is that umbilical cord blood can be collected safely and painlessly after the childbirth and it can be stored in the long term in the umbilical cord blood banks. Umbilical cord blood preservation may become a meaningful health and life policy.
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Is pregnancy a disease?
KOUPALOVÁ, Martina
Pregnancy is a natural period in life of a woman. A woman usually becomes pregnant when being healthy and in a good psychical state, and looking forward to a positive (i.e. good) result together with her family. The Czech idiom ``a woman is in a different state{\crqq} is both fitting and incorrect. It is correct, as far as the physical and psychical changes affecting the pregnant woman are concerned; however, the idiom does not describe the degree and the dynamics of the changes. Pregnancy is not a state. It is a special process which, despite being physiological, is sometimes considered to be rather a disease, particularly when the physiological changes to the mother{\crq}s organism that accompany her pregnancy become highlighted. The objective of this thesis was to ascertain what the attitude of women themselves to their physiological pregnancy was. At the beginning, three hypotheses were determined. The first hypothesis is: ``Pregnant women feel manifestations of physiological changes of their organisms.{\crqq} The second hypothesis is: ``Pregnant women are sufficiently aware of the methods how to prevent or mitigate negative manifestations of pregnancy changes (that accompany pregnancy with a physiological course).{\crqq} The third hypothesis is: ``Pregnant women do not understand pregnancy with a physiological course as a disease.{\crqq} The first hypothesis was confirmed by the research {--} women understand physiological changes of the mother{\crq}s organism and their manifestations. The second hypothesis was also confirmed {--} the research revealed that pregnant women have sufficient information how to prevent or mitigate negative manifestations of physiological changes of the mother{\crq}s organism. Also the third hypothesis was confirmed {--} pregnant women really do not understand their pregnancy with a physiological course as a disease. The research was conducted following the quantitative method using questionnaires. I selected this method since it provides a large number of empirical data in a relatively short period of time while allowing the informants to remain anonymous. The questionnaires were distributed in gynaecological surgeries in České Budějovice and at the gynaecological-midwifery outpatient clinic in Tábor in February and March 2007. The total of 108 filled-in questionnaires was processed. The thesis will be utilized within the scope of education at the University of South Bohemia and will be published in the Internet. Pregnant women do not understand physiological pregnancy as a disease, even despite negative manifestations of physiological changes of the mother{\crq}s organism. This is a pleasing result of my thesis. Any pregnancy may become a risky or even a pathological process (for this reason, it is advisable to undertake the basic prenatal care), but if this is not the case, then pregnancy should be one of the most beautiful and happiest periods in the life of a woman and she should enjoy and understand it this way.
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